Religious right fights cancer prevention Options

[*mipadi*]

The Food and Drug Administration advisory panel approved a vaccine for the human papilloma virus (HPV) last week. The vaccine appears to be 100 percent effective at protecting against the most prevalent viruses that cause cervical cancer. While public health professionals view the vaccine as miraculous, many conservative organizations oppose it on the grounds that it might encourage promiscuity among adolescent girls. Now that the FDA has approved the vaccine, conservatives are already working feverishly to limit or even prevent its use.

The pharmaceutical giant Merck produced the vaccine, known as Gardasil, which will be nothing short of a lifesaver for countless women. Cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cancer killer among women in America, striking nearly 14,000 each year. Of those, nearly 4,000 die. Poor women and women of color will benefit the most from the vaccine, as Latino and black women suffer the highest rates of cervical cancer. Lower-income women typically lack the funds and health insurance necessary to have regular screenings for HPV.

Despite the benefits of the vaccine, conservative organizations began to rally against it last year. One of the most vocal opponents was the Family Research Council. The council, according to its mission statement, "promotes the Judeo-Christian worldview as the basis for a just, free, and stable society." Last October the council's president, Tony Perkins, spoke against the vaccine. "Our concern," he said, "is that this vaccine will be marketed to a segment of the population that should be getting a message about abstinence. It sends the wrong message." He went on to say that he would not vaccinate his 13-year-old daughter.

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[Ajmalhuuss]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but sometimes their opinions are really dumb. Why oppose something that could save the lives of so many. Yes sure it might increase promiscuity amongst young teen girls but in order to prevent that can we not give the message of abstinence along with the vaccine? Why can’t you have this as a back up? Keep giving the message of abstinence but get vaccinated just incase.

[NoSex]

Yeah, religiousity and faith are dangerous! I was never kidding when I said that.
Makes me ill.

Main Entry: entitle
Pronunciation: in-'tI-t&l, en-
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): en·ti·tled; en·ti·tling /-'tIt-li[ng], -&l-i[ng]/
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French entituler, from Late Latin intitulare, from Latin in- + titulus title
1 : to give a title to : DESIGNATE
2 : to furnish with proper grounds for seeking or claiming something

[Gypsy Eyes]

Godamnit you don't have to have sex to get HPV. Not being vaccinated is absurd! It's like if they came up with an AIDS vaccination and people protested because it didn't promote "abstinence." Ugh people take religion to seriously. This vaccine will save thousands of lives!

edit: woah 4,000 post!

[*mipadi*]

Godamnit you don't have to have sex to get HPV. Not being vaccinated is absurd! It's like if they came up with an AIDS vaccination and people protested because it didn't promote "abstinence." Ugh people take religion to seriously. This vaccine will save thousands of lives!

Kind of like how some religious groups block the distribution of condoms in Africa?

[Ajmalhuuss]

Some people are just too ignorant.

[*StanleyThePanda*]

Wow.. that is interesting.

[Gypsy Eyes]

Kind of like how some religious groups block the distribution of condoms in Africa?

Now that is insane!

[Spirited Away]

How very, very odd.

This is beyond spreading God's words; this is forcing God's words down people's throats until they choke on them and pass out.

[*AngelicEyz00*]

Oh God, I hate people like that.

Anyway, so when will this vaccine be made availible?

[*kryogenix*]

Kind of like how some religious groups block the distribution of condoms in Africa?

I'm ok with medicines that can prevent virii and treatments, but not with contraceptives.

Condoms have a failure rate of about 1%. So if someone with AIDS has sex with someone once a day using a condom, statistically, this person could infect their partner 3 to 4 times in one year.

The only way to stop AIDS is abstinence.

[*disco infiltrator*]

Contraceptives are a preventative measure; I understand the only way to stop it completely is abstinence, but in the meantime, while not everyone is abstinent, why in the world would you want to limit the use of contraceptives? That's completely illogical.

[*mipadi*]

I'm ok with medicines that can prevent virii and treatments, but not with contraceptives.

Condoms have a failure rate of about 1%. So if someone with AIDS has sex with someone once a day using a condom, statistically, this person could infect their partner 3 to 4 times in one year.

The only way to stop AIDS is abstinence.

Two points, kryo:

1. You have to work within the culture of your target group. Abstinence-only programs simply do not work in Africa. Virility, so to speak, is a respected attribute in men. It's hard enough to get them to use condoms; it's almost impossible to make them stop having sex, because sex, especially with multiple partners, is part of the culture.
2. You're misunderstanding the failure rate. The failure rate statistic is not on a per use, but rather a per capita basis.
   
   Furthermore, even with the failure rate, it helps a lot more than not using condoms at all.

[Ajmalhuuss]

Btw the failure rate is not due to the condom but instead due to people not knowing how to properly use a condom.