Women, get ready for **another** assault on your bodies .......

[Stinky The Clown]

I got out of the shower and was getting dressed and had the local morning newzandyakker show on. There was a report, the very beginning of which I missed, that said there is a viable vaccine against cervical cancer that is about to be allowed for human use. It attacks the virus that causes the disease and requires a series of three injections. The injections are best if given to young girls before they become sexually active. Scientists are recommending administration of the vaccine to girls somewhere between 8 and 10 years old.

The report said the vaccine is not without some 'controversy'. This is where I started paying closer atention to the report.

The 'contoversy'?

Not some issue with the vaccine. Not some issue with the company that makes it. Not some issue with the cost or the distribution channels or the availability.

No.

The controversy involves the age at which the scientists recommend vaccination be given. The reason? Well of course you've already guessed it.

"The message it will send."

The 'message'??????

The 'controversy' was, in the report, posited by a man in a clerical collar, of course.

The message.

And what 'message' would that be, Rev Talibornagain?

That women have sex? That scientists recognize they have sex? That protection is best achieved if the vaccine is adminsitered *before* they have sex?

Rev. Talibornagain was ready with the ansewr to that question. He suggests the vaccine wait a bit. Until the girl is in her early teens.

Hey Rev ........ ?

Girls have sex. Some wait for the 'sanctity of marriage'. But many (most??) don't. That's a fact, Rev. Girls have SEX. They copulate. They've been known to copulate in their early teens. This has been happening since Eve ate that apple, and Adam took it from her and had his own taste. Girls COPULATE. I know that doesn't fit *your* world view, but its a plain and simple fact.

So, lemme try to understand your logic, Your Revsterness.

I'm guessing your objection is that giving this vaccine to prepubesent girls is tantamount to a license to copulate. And early copulation is a sin.

Is that about it, Revver?

Yeah .... I thought so.

Hey Revmeister ........ ?

Keep it in yer pantz ..... yeah?

You cro magnon knuckle dragger ..................

[rodeodance]

1. this is the same argument that the FDA is using to argue against Plan B.

The controversy involves the age at which the scientists recommend vaccination be given. The reason? Well of course you've already guessed it.

"The message it will send."

The 'message'??????

[peace13]

2. As I have said before

Vaccinate the boys, they are the ones spreading the virus. So tired of every sex related problem being balanced on the backs of the women! Guess the dear reverend has never had a woman in his family suffer from cervical cancer. Peace

[Triana]

4. I've often wondered about that...

...what the Hell are women's bodies, a petri dish for every pregnancy and STD prevention medication out there? Last I checked it still takes a A PENIS to impregnate or spread an STD. But no one wants to bother men with all that. It's not thought to be their responsibility.

HA! It's evident who runs our country and society isn't it? (hint: it ain't the female of the species)

[Demeter]

5. Trouble Is, The Older Men

Already infected, seducing, marrying or raping the young and infecting them. It has to be population-wide, and if done like the polio irradication program, can be totally effective in a couple of years, as well as being the cheapest way to do it, and getting the economies of scale so the program can be taken world-wide.

Where's the vision anymore? That's what I hate the most these days--the can-do vision has been totally twisted and perverted into world domination by corporations and religions, as opposed to public health, safety, environmental rehabilitation, education and human rights.

[BoneDaddy]

6. no

Don't vaccinate the boys... or the girls or anyone else.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

37. Why? -nt

[ebayfool]

38. They ARE recommending vaccinating boys! n/t

[Triana]

3. Dogma...

...is a dangerous thing (for women).

I despise these American Taliban types. They'd rather have women die of curable or preventable diseases than ack that women HAVE SEX. Some GIRLS do too. All their flapping like black crows in the wind is NOT going to change that. It's only going to assure that more women die.

I guess that's preferable to these oh-so "moral" Taliban leaders.

[rodeodance]

7. The advisory panel has recommened it, yet it is the FDA which makes

the final decision.

[wicket]

9. Same thing with Plan B

God these people make me sick. :grr:

[OzarkDem]

31. There are TWO vaccines, FAQ HERE

one from Merck, which is moving through the FDA approval process first and a second, developed by Glaxo Smith Kline, farther behind in the approval process.

The market for a cervical cancer vaccine is estimated to be $4 billion per year

Some quick fact checking:

Neither of the vaccines will prevent *all* cervical cancer, they will only prevent cervical cancer that develops from the HPV virus (about 70% of all cervical cancers)

Both vaccines don't last long and require *booster shots*

****The Merck vaccine works against a couple of types of HPV, but it takes a few years after vaccination to become effective - that's why they recommend giving it to girls at age 9 or 10 - it won't reach its full immune protection capacity until they're around age 15.

*****The Glaxo Smith Kline vaccine is a little different. It protects against similar strains of HPV virus, BUT it doesn't need as long to take effect. It can be administered at a later age, perhaps even 1 yr. before girls become sexually active.

Bottom line: THE MERCK CERVICAL CA VACCINE IS BEING RECOMMENDED FOR AGE 9 OR 10 BECAUSE IT TAKES A FEW YEARS TO WORK. ANOTHER VACCINE WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE SOON THAT CAN BE GIVEN AT A LATER AGE.

[The Doctor.]

33. Aren't there a few hundred strains of the virus?

I'm sure that any immunological response to the vaccine will protect against many more strains than specifically developed for, but there's no catch-all.

Either way, get it out there and just watch the fundie fucktards try and make up some shit about how it causes 'depression', 'anxiety', 'miscarriage', or whatever... they'll go hard on the shit-spewing.

Mark my words.

[madinmaryland]

8. My wife and I were screaming at the TV when we saw that report

on the news last night. When we heard them say: "The message it will send." it sent both of us into a rage. For gods sake, this is a vacine that will PREVENT cancer, PERIOD

:grr:

:wtf: is wrong with people.

[The Doctor.]

34. LOL!!! - Just wait 'till we have an

AIDS vaccine!!!

Oh how they will fight against that!


"Christians" my ass! Jesus Christ would personally slap the shit out of these people.

(And yes... I speak for Jesus with at least the veracity of these fuckers.)

[Imperialism Inc.]

10. Yeah. That crap makes me see red.

A person has to be extremely sick in the head to even think twice about whether or not to vaccinate against this. If "encouraging sex" even enters the mind in the decision process the person has a problem.

[xchrom]

11. until we put in the era -- i.e. full legal equality for women --

we will always reduce women to their body parts.

that's my first comment.

my second is -- if you allow some on to control your genitals -- then they control the rest of you.

the religous right obsession with other peoples penises and vaginas is reaching epidemic proportions.

they're not thinking about THEIR naughty bits -- the are thinking about YOUR naughty bits 24/7.

[Kipling]

21. You think that couldn't be talked around?

[xchrom]

22. what i think is that without full legal equality

it stays a moot point.

in election after election conservative christians with hair afire will beat the abortion drum and the naughty bits cymbal.

they can talk it to death if a woman is in full legal control over her whole body.

it won't make any difference.

[Kipling]

23. It would be need to be more specific than "equal rights" then.

"Equality" can't really be applied in the case of abortion because men can't have one.

[xchrom]

24. have you read the equal rights ammendment?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_Rights_Amendment#Text_of_the_ERA

The ERA's text, as proposed in 1972 by the 92nd Congress, and as published in Volume 86, "United States Statutes At Large" (pages 1523–1524), reads as follows:


"SECTION 1 - Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
"SECTION 2 - The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
"SECTION 3 - This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification."

"Sex Bias in the U.S. Code"

The report, entitled Sex Bias in the U.S. Code, co-authored by Ruth Bader Ginsburg (and sixteen other individuals under the supervision of a government attorney), before Ginsburg became a federal judge, and published in 1977 by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, sought to show how the proposed ERA (for which Ginsburg was a strong advocate) would change Federal laws to make them gender-neutral and to "eliminate sex-discriminatory provisions."

[Kipling]

25. Yes... it could be easily circumvented in the case of abortion.

Like I said, right-wingers would find it very easy to claim that banning abortion did not infringe equal rights - they wouldn't let men have abortions either, they'd say.

[Ilsa]

12. Tell the parents why they are giving the daughter the

vaccine, not the 10 year old girl. Explain it may make the difference in them visiting grandchildren or their daughter's grave on Sundays.

[MockSwede]

29. Nicely put

Just explain to parents. Just like all the rest of the immunizations. And by the way - it will probably cut down on MALES contracting disease, too, via 'herd effect' IF we get enough females immunized. The (hopefully) few females that don't will also be conferred this protection by the same means, as I understand it.

[TAPat]

13. I just went through a very scary

brush with cervical cancer - as have a number of other DUers - a couple of months ago the admin wasn't even going to let it get as far as the FDA...
I am the daughter of a woman who marched the capitol in support of ERA, mostly for my benefit (plus the fact that she *used to be* a militant lesbian feminist), and I am goddamned sick and tired of this backward spiral we are experiencing - I want my daughter to have that vaccine and the sooner the better.

Man, it's way to early for this... :)

[blondeatlast]

14. God forbid we should risk OFFENDING anyone in order to stop

the spread of a deadly disease.

Or even accepting the fact, that, *gasp* WOMEN HAVE SEX WITH MEN THEY AREN'T MARRIED TO?

Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, can't be...

[bowens43]

15. Wow.

I have said before and I'll say it again "Christan fundamentalism is the single greatest threat to our nation".

[Zenlitened]

20. "Christan fundamentalism is the single greatest threat to our nation"

Totally, completely agree.

These people are out to destroy America, turn it into something that would horrify our Founders.

And they have capabilities and connections no foreign terrorist could ever hope to obtain.

[Raster]

30. Our Founders actually took precautions to prevent the tyranny of the

religious. Many of the Founders were Deists and believed outside the usual admonishments, religion was a private matter with NO PLACE IN GOVERNMENT. Little did they imagine the full-tilt boogie towards National ChristoFacism. The simple fact that there is even ANY TYPE OF DEBATE about an HPV vaccine is indicative of the sad state of affairs in America today. If it were men having to deal with the horrors of cervical cancer, the vaccine would be mandatory for every 8 to 10 year old child.

[elehhhhna]

16. and rape cases? too bad? too late? had it coming anyway?

If there was a vaccine preventing colon cancer would we deny it to people who have fatty diets? Deny a lung cancer vac to smokers?

can't hpv be transmitted to --gasp--newborns-- via their exposed mothers at birth? If we can make a case for transmission to the all important fetus we'd be covered.

Doesn't early cerv cancer treatement potentially harm one's all important fertility?





My neighbor died from cervical c. 2 years ago. It was harrowing. Left 2 beautiful but bereft children and a rudderless husband. One wouldn't wish this on their works enemy.

[Arkansas Granny]

17. I would love to ask those who would deny this vaccine to our

daughters, granddaughters, nieces, etc. if they really believe that the risk of HPV acts as a deterrent to young women having sex. Their argument is ridiculous and it really shows how compassionate they are, that value a young woman's virginity (which they expect her to lose anyway) more than they value her life.

[annabanana]

18. OUTLAW SEATBELTS!!!

They only encourage reckless driving.
sheesh

[noonwitch]

19. I had a problem with the idea of administering it through the schools

They said something about that on tv this morning. The only vaccination I ever got at school was the measles shot in kindergarten. Any other vaccine I got from the pediatrician.

Because this is to prevent a disease that is spread via sexual activity, I do think it is a matter for parents to decide. The most the schools should do is address the matter in science or health class, state that HPV causes cervical cancer and is an STD, that there is a vaccine available, and that any kid who thinks he or she needs one should be talking to his or her parents about it and/or a doctor.

[LizW]

26. Parents decide about ALL vaccines.

This is no different than any other potentially life-saving vaccine.

If this works and meets all the testing requirements, then the FDA should approve it. Doctors will then suggest to their patients when it would be most effectively given in order to prevent disease (just like with all other vaccines). Then parents can decide, just as they do with all other vaccines.

I'm always suspicious when people start pretending that if a drug is approved, someone's individual choice to use it will be somehow obviated. It is not the case. I have not heard any discussion that this vaccine would be compulsory. I think that is a straw man someone is coming up with to scare people.

[Radical Activist]

27. Horny uncles and ministers don't wait until the girls are teens

So why should the vaccine?

[MockSwede]

28. Available by Fall of 2006

Hey folks, my daughter just turned 18 and is so soon off to college. AS SOON AS THIS IS AVAILABLE I WILL HAVE HER RECEIVE ALL THREE INJECTIONS IN THE SET FOR THIS IMMUNIZATION!

NO HPV infection = NO cervical cancer.

IT IS A NO BRAINER!

Last time such a beneficial immunization came out (Chickenpox vaccine) she got them one year BEFORE it was available.

She's NOT going to be TOO LATE for this one, if I can help it.

Addendum:

One vaccine would protect against four types of HPV, including two that cause most (70%) cervical cancers (types 16, 18), and two that cause most (90%) genital warts (types 6, 11). This vaccine is being tested in women and men.

The second vaccine would protect against the two types of HPV (16,18) that cause most (70%) cervical cancers. This vaccine is being tested in women.


Both vaccines would prevent the cervical cell changes (found on Pap tests) that are caused by the targeted HPV types.

Over half of sexually active men in the United States (U.S.) will have HPV at some time in their lives.

About 1% of sexually active men in the U.S. have genital warts at any one time.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that about 1,530 men will be diagnosed with penile cancer in the U.S. in 2006. In this country, penile cancer accounts for about 0.2% of all cancers in men. It is especially rare in circumcised men.

ACS estimates that about 1,910 men will be diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006. The risk for anal cancer is 17 times higher among gay and bisexual men than among heterosexual men. The risk is also higher among men with compromised immune systems, including those with HIV.

[dorktv]

32. Boys should get it too according to NPR

[Gloria]

35. Circumcision for boys is also part of the equation--apparently,

the virus resides in stuff that hangs out in the skin of the uncircumcised penis. (in "smegma"--I may have spelled that wrong). It's been known for a long time that circumcision is a factor in reducing the risk of infection.....because of the cleanlinesss factor.

[dorktv]

36. that is the correct spelling.

[DarkTirade]

41. I am so tired of hearing that bullshit 'cleanliness factor' excuse...

those of us who bathe regularly don't have any problems.
As far as I can tell, there is NO REASON to cut off a part of the human anatomy unless it is diseased and needs amputation.

[Skittles]

39. why does the f***ing church have any say at all

I wish they'd keep their pious opinions in church and OUT OF REAL LIFE

[DarkTirade]

40. This isn't all that new actually, I heard about it months ago

Apparently not getting cervical cancer has something to do with pre-marital sex? I don't even see the connection, let alone why the hell the rest of us should have to live by their silly rules anyway.
I'm not usually an advocate of violence, but somebody just needs to smack him upside the head. Seriously.

[realisticphish]

42. I think he's right

after all, this was the one thing stopping underaged girls from having sex.

"OK, Billy, let's... No, I might get cervical cancer. Sorry."

"Well, hey! now that I can't get cervical cancer, there's no other reason that anyone could possibly tell me to keep me from having underaged sex! Yay!"

:eyes:

[Imagevision]

43. How many millions has the church paid out in sex lawsuits??