01/18/2008
from the Kennebec Journal
Rep. Pingree hears varied proposals for health-care solutions
HALLOWELL Fire that cut communications labeled arson
MONMOUTH Police defended after slim budget rejection
State's schools chief to parley
Wasser will lead newsrooms at KJ, Sentinel and in Portland
BRIEFS
Hockey still in picture for Harrington
Portland boxer to face legend's son
All of today's:
News | Sports
from the Kennebec Journal
from the Morning Sentinel
$1.3 MILLION FOR HEALTHREACH
Families Matter grows to meet special needs
Chellie Pingree listens to ideas on health care reform
FARMINGTON Rain alters plans for 4th of July
District regroups after budget failure
Vote on county budget hits snag
Burnham driver wins checkered flag at 2 tracks on same day
Maine boxer gets unique opportunity
All of today's:
News | Sports
from the Morning Sentinel
Pharmaceutical giant Merck's Gardasil (which can cost $140 to $275 for each of the required series of shots, plus office visit charges), is the most expensive vaccine ever marketed in the U.S. Merck also makes Vioxx, which was withdrawn from the market after causing an estimated 88,000-139,000 heart attacks, 30-40 percent of them fatal, according to the FDA's Dr. David Graham.
After researching the HPV vaccine for 20 years, Dr. Diane Harper rejected Merck's advertising campaign: "Merck has not said anything incorrect, but the way they are marketing it makes it so people can hear 'this is a vaccine that protects me from all cervical cancer,' and that's wrong."
Nationally, Merck donated $611,975 to state lawmakers or party political action committees in 2006.
In The Actuary magazine, insurance companies were advised to adjust their premiums in order to plan for a 50 percent increase in breast cancer, projected out to 2029 because of the abortion/breast cancer link. With 1.3 million abortions annually, Marrache should warn women against abortion rather than to tout an expensive and deadly drug.
Ron J. Stauble Sr.
Unity
Reader comments
Sort by: Oldest first | Newest First
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HPV infects approximately 20 million people in the United States with 6.2 million new cases each year. There are more than 30 strains of HPV that affect at least half of sexually active people in their lifetime. MOST strains of HPV do not produce any symptoms and 90% disappear on their own.
While Gardasil perfect protection against two strains that cause 70 percent of all cases of cervical cancer, and against two other strains that cause 90 percent of genital warts cases. That still leaves 30 percent of the cervical cancer cases to worry about, so women are urged to keep getting regular Pap tests to screen for signs of the cancer. Pap tests have greatly reduced cervical cancer deaths over 75% and have NO adverse reactions.
So, out of 6.2 million cases a year only 9,710 estimated cases produce cervical cancer with only 3,700 deaths.
Do the research people! Pharmaceutical companies are a huge money making business. They are more interested in your money than your health.
Lets start to be good health consumers and stop relying on Big money pharmaceutical companies to dictate our health care.report abuse
You must be a registered user of MaineToday.com to post a comment. Register or log in.