A story reported recently on MSNBC, reporting that Merck & Company is lobbying to make an “immunization” against cervical cancer mandatory for girls as young as 11 to 12 years of age passed without raising so much as an eyebrow as to its wisdom. The only hint of controversy came from some conservative parent rights groups because it would, in their opinion, encourage premarital sex.
Let me back up and say this again.
Merck & Company is lobbying to have states pass legislation that would require women as young as 11 or 12 years of age to be “immunized” against a cervical cancer virus with a new drug recently approved by the FDA called Gardasil. At least 18 states are taking this initiative seriously enough to debate it. Michigan has already voted it down. But look at what they’re doing:
A top official from Merck’s vaccine division sits on Women in Government’s business council, and many of the bills around the country have been introduced by members of Women in Government.
“Cervical cancer is of particular interest to our members because it represents the first opportunity that we have to actually eliminate a cancer,” Women in Government President Susan Crosby said.
Talk about an incestuous relationship… if there were a vaccine against these types of cozy alliances, I would be all for it.
This is starting to make something else that bothered me, make sense. A few months ago, a national television ad campaign began that featured several women stating flat out they didn’t know that a virus caused cervical cancer, and you, follow woman viewer, may have it and not even know it. Talk about FEAR mongering, all in the name of keeping you informed.
Let me ask this question: why would anyone tell millions of women that they may have something without knowing, without knowing whether they have it or not? Isn’t this tantamount to shouting “FIRE” in a crowded theater? Why are we so quick to assume that the worst outcome is possible, while being quick to question (or doubt) whether the best outcome is possible?
Merck just shouted “FIRE!” with the aid of these actresses in a national advertising campaign, with the blessings of the FDA and the FTC. The women depicted in the ad weren’t doctors. In fact, they didn’t have to know whether what they were saying was true. They only had to project a FEAR that it may be true.
Now, Merck is taking it to the next level, lobbying to make it mandatory for these very same young women to be vaccinated with their new wonder drug… whether they actually have cervical cancer or not. Of course, since the fear of “C” has been introduced where it didn’t exist before, there will be many who will go along with this charade. Many more will do it because they’re being told to. But in my opinion, this is unconscionable.
Go to their web site, and see the FEAR at work there:
GARDASIL is the only vaccine that may help guard against diseases that are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) Types 6, 11, 16, and 18:
The operative word in that sentence is may. That keeps things within legal boundaries, but at the same time, it is misleading because of the words only vaccine that preceded it. The inference is that cervical cancer will only respond to a vaccine, when in fact, there are other viable methods of addressing the physiological conditions that make cervical cancer possible.
But even then, there are more disclaimers:
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT GARDASIL
GARDASIL may not fully protect everyone and does not prevent all types of cervical cancer, so it is important to continue regular cervical cancer screenings.
Anyone who is allergic to the ingredients of GARDASIL should not receive the vaccine. GARDASIL is not for women who are pregnant.
GARDASIL will not treat these diseases and will not protect against diseases caused by other types of HPV.
GARDASIL is given as 3 injections over 6 months and can cause pain, swelling, itching, and redness at the injection site, fever, nausea, and dizziness. Only a doctor or healthcare professional can decide if GARDASIL is right for you or your daughter. Ask about GARDASIL today.
With all these nebulous caveats and conditions, why would anyone agree to make an injection like this mandatory?
The answer is pretty simple. Merck would realize billions in sales if this gimmick is passed. By making it “law,” legislatures would in essence, be usurping the authority of parents; or at least, they would be attempting to. How arrogant. Yet, that’s not how the legislators see it. Listen to this one:
“Not everybody has equal sets of parents,” said (Jessica) Farrar, a Houston Democrat who had precancerous cells removed from her cervix several years ago. “I think this is a public health issue and to not want to eradicate cervical cancer is irresponsible.”
I agree with representative Farrar’s ultimate assessment. However, there are other reasons that contribute to an individual’s susceptibility to an HPV virus thriving within their cell chemistry, including the levels of acidity and toxicity, as well as the mineral sufficiency. Exploring and mitigating these factors should be first tier responses instead of going directly to drugs and giving Merck $200 in this sham of a “game” of Disease Monopoly. But then, Merck is a drug company; in addition, a profit-driven company, and not concerned with the health and well-being of the people who are subjected to its products. How else could a company attempt to influence legislators in 18 states to subject young women to a mandatory injection, given the high degree of legal ass covering that they present with their product information. Clearly, the Gardasil is likely to be either (1) ineffective, or (2) unnecessary. And if there are unintended consequences in states that pass the initiative, they want to have enough room to not be held responsible, by saying that we were informed.
With all the times you hear the words, “ask your doctor” each day, do you really think your doctor, who has probably been wined and dined since medical school by Merck (and other pharmaceutical company’s) salesmen, would tell you to try another strategy before taking their drug?
I didn’t think so.
I haven’t checked in here for a while because I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are good quality so I guess I’ll add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it friend 🙂
government jobs are still the best when it comes to job security ”.
Vaccines are POISON. The only one[s] who benefit from vaccines are PHARMACEUTICALS. Lots of Vitamin D will protect you from the flu and many other diseases. DON’T be fooled by paid off media hype. STOP the sickening assault on humanity.
So they’ve found a cure to cancer!?!
The package insert by Merck says Gardsil is not to be given in pregnancy. Material Merck submitted to the FDA says giving the vaccine to those already unwittingly infected with a vaccine-strain of HPV may make the infection worse. Any mandatory program needs to be accompained by pregnancy testing and HPV serum testing. That would be three tests each in 6 months, since the vaccine is a three-shot regimen. I doubt any state govenment is going to do that!
Sorry Valerie, it doesn’t work that way… the Pap shows that you have HPV, it doesn’t prevent it. There are only 2 ways to prevent HPV, not having sex with infected people and having safer sex (vaccine, condom, etc.) And guess what, only one of those 2 is virtually 100% guaranteed.
Since people have proven again and again that they’d rather have sex than not, I don’t think we can count on people regulating who they sleep with very well–and it’s the government’s job to keep public safety at the forefront of their concerns.
It is time to nationalize both our health care and pharma industries and turn them into non-profits, as many hospitals were before Reagan deregulated them. Since that time, the cost of basic health care (and resources) has skyrocketed and the services provided have dwindled, while these for-profit firms garner higher profits and more power over legislators.
Whether Gardasil is effective or not, I am not qualified to comment. Like akll drugs that are tested for FDA approval, they only have to be perform slightly better than a placebo, which doesn’t engender much confidence on my part.
The promoters of free-market health care are now suggesting that the government mandate the use of their product? What part of ‘free’ market don’t they understand? Bribing government official does not a free market make, and such behavior is something I’d expect to see on the ‘Sopranos’, and not from my governor or my doctor.
Peace!
If Merck were *actually* concerned about the wellbeing of those they are seeking to innoculate, perhaps they should advocate screening for HPV before immediately charging people nearly $400 for a vaccine that many do not need. Contrary to popular belief, HPV is not at the epidemic levels that lobbyists claim.
Maybe we should educate people about safer sex practices and encourage women to get their yearly PAP test rather than once again committing women’s agency regarding their reproductive health to the hands of big business and the government. I firmly believe that personal responsibility ought to play a larger role in our government – I’ve become pretty wary of a government that seeks to conduct my personal affairs for me.
Because 75% of *adult* women are infected with HPV at *some* point in their life, doesn’t mean that we should forcibly innoculate girls and young women with drugs that will FURTHER alter their natural body and cell physiology as though it were addressing the real problem.
75% of adult women are susceptible to the effects of HPV due to the effects of gross and chronic malnourishment. It’s not that we’re not getting enough food; we’re eating too much. The foods that we typically eat do not sufficiently deliver mineral nutrients that the body needs in order to protect itself. In addition, we ingest hormones, pesticides, and other inorganic compounds that further compromise our health, and create a fertile environment for the growth of such things as HPV.
Establishing a mandatory program that continues to FAIL to deliver said nutrients will not solve problem. Representing this approach as credible, in my opinion IS tantamount to yelling FIRE in a crowded theater, simply because it is a LIE that feeds on an apparent truth.
The public has already been duped into the aspirin habit as a preventative measure, which is also a LIE that feeds on an apparent truth. Aspirin manufacturers don’t mind. The body doesn’t need much of what aspirin contains, but does need, and respond well to magnesium, which our body is designed to use. Most people with chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes, etc., are woefully magnesium deficient. Hospitals inject magnesium into heart attack patients as an emergency procedure, when in fact, the patient needs to be intaking it every day.
We can’t count on aspirin manufacturers to inform people otherwise, as we can’t count on Merck to acknowledge that there is another factor that contributes to the adult onset of HPV that could mitigate the condition without mandatory use of their expensive drug. If the drug were THAT helpful and necessary, why are they charging over $300 for a series? Then you wonder, is that is wholesale or retail?
Thank you for commenting.
FIRE in a crowded theater???
I think since 75% of adult women are infected with HPV at some point in their life, it is quite conceivable that many women have HPV and don’t know it. Especially since many times symptoms do not appear.
As for whether or not vaccines should be required doesn’t matter because if you misrepresent the facts of your argument, you are no longer credible to the people you’re trying to convince.
Would you be outraged if a hospital gave you a medicine that is known to cause gastrointestinal problems (stomach bleeding, heartburn, ulcers), nervous system problems (virtigo, dizziness, headaches), sweating and skin reactions?
What if I told you I was referring to aspirin, which is taken daily by thousands of people who were told it would help fight headaches, back pain, and even heart attacks. I guess since aspirin has side effects, we’ll be seeing a posting on aspirin given unknowingly to heart attack patients by a doctor.
Amen!
It’s hard to believe that we’ve reached a point in society where the corporation that made the vaccine is the same people to lobby a representative to pass a mandatory vaccine for our kids. It’s frightening.
And this vaccine will NEVER eradicate cervical cancer. Cancer is a part of our society, like it or not. And there is evidence (The Virus and the Vaccine – a book) that shows that ingredients in the polio vaccine has and continues to cause cancer in people. What will this vaccine cause in the years to come?
As more and more people are turning to natural medicine and turning away from vaccines, the drug companies are starting to sweat a little as they are afraid their billions of dollars in profits will go down. They are trying to find more clever ideas to get people to stay afraid.
It’s brave people like you, that post messages such as this one, that will help open eyes to reality.
Kudos to you!