Senate passes HPV immunization bill
The Senate this morning passed a bill that creates an optional immunization program for the vaccine that treats human papillomavirus (HPV).
“This is the second-biggest killer of women as far as cancer is concerned,” said the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City.
Parents of girls entering sixth grade would receive information about HPV and its links to cervical cancer. They could then decide whether to get the vaccine, Gardasil, which is taken in three $120 doses.
If a family cannot pay for the vaccine, the state would pick up the tab. The program is estimated to cost about $2.2 million.
Critics say the vaccine is unproven. Rep. Bob Onder, R-Lake St. Louis, helped derail a similar bill last year in the House and says he will try again this year.
“I don’t think it’s a terribly good vaccine,” said Onder, who is one of several Republican candidates for the 9th District U.S. House race this fall.
Justus’ bill, was passed by a vote of 22-8. It will now be sent to the House.
Be sure to read our ink edition tomorrow for more information.
Sen. Jolie Justus has her statistics wrong concerning women dying from cervical cancer.
American Cancer Society estimated deaths for 2008 for women:
1. lung / bronchial cancer approx. 71,000
2. breast cancer 40,480
3. colon cancer 25,700
Down on the list…
American Cancer Society estimates that only 3,870 women will die of uterine / cervical cancer in 2008.
Do Missouri taxpayers want to pay to advertise Merck’s unproven vaccine to school girls based on Sen. Justus’s misleading statistics?
Merck sells Gardasil for $360 ($120 per shot in a three-shot series). Adding administrative costs, the overall cost to the public is $400-500 per child vaccinated. The cost of vaccinating 100 children will thus be at least $40,000, but only 3 out of that 100 will ever be exposed to the HPV types targeted by the vaccine.
Learn the truth about the HPV vaccine here: http://www.eagleforum.org/topics/vaccine/HPV/2008/02-27-08.html
Call the American Cancer Society to check 800-227-2345.
Ruth - As far as I know, there is no vaccine for lung, breast or colon cancer. There is, however, a vaccine for HPV now. Even if only three of 100 girls will be exposed to the virus, do you want to be the one to explain to them, “gee, sorry you have to die but the vaccine is just too expensive.” I have three daughters and two granddaughters, can you pick which one should die because you think the vaccine is too expensive?
The HPV vaccine is a very effective vaccine and should be seriously considered by all for girls 9-26 and possibly from next year for boys, if approved by the FDA. There are many more cases of cervical precancer for every case of cervical cancer, the former requiring significant medical care, and in some cases cervical cone biopsy. This vaccine, based on the current information, is likely to significantly cut down on the number of these pre-cancers also. In a society where sex is liberal, not considering the use of this vaccine is quite risky. And for those who believe that this vaccine would induce promiscuity, does anyone think that risk of HIV made it less likely for kids to have sex. Most of the kids do not even know about HPV.
I have no vested interest in Merck, do not own their stock am not on their payroll for benefit from the sale of this vaccine. I do work with HPV as a research interest.
The HPV vaccine is being promoted as protection against cervical cancer, but Merck itself does not ensure protection in its package insert. (http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/g/gardasil/gardasil_pi.pdf )
Rather, this claim is based on research showing that 70% of cervical cancer cases also have prevalence of these four strains of HPV, but correlation is not necessarily causation. (http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/HPV )
Cervical cancer has already been quickly declining in the United States without the vaccine.
It’s not the U.S taxpayers job to pay for adverting for private pharmaceutical company about a vaccine for sexually transmitted diseases (private activity), especially a vaccine is unproven and gives these girls a false sense of security.