Maybe Jesus does NOT want you to get cervical cancer!

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Thursday May 11, 2006 · 11:01 PM PDT

2006/05/11 · 23:01

Where we left off:

- Scientists: Soon a new HPV vaccine will virtually banish cervical (and some penile) cancer. So, we should require vaccination.

- Jesus (via the Bushistas): Sorry. Vaccination would send the wrong message. HPV is spread by nookie...so either abstain, or die, strumpets!

This diary took us that far, stating:

Vaccinations for contagious diseases like measles and mumps are required before a child can enter public school. That won't be the case with the HPV vaccine, however. The Bush Administration, its allies on Capitol Hill, and the religious base of the Republican Party are opposed to mandatory HPV vaccinations. They prefer to rely on education programs that promote abstinence from sexual activity, and see the HPV vaccine as a threat to that policy.

Republican Christianism kills again.

But, now, a letter to the editor in the June `06 Scientific American may offer a way to defuse the battle (and save 4,000 American women's lives a year).

The letter is from Diane M. Harper, Director, Gynecologic Cancer, Prevention Research Group, Dartmouth Medical School. Responding to articles such as this, she says:

...all references, surveys, and propagation of "educational" materials that assert cervical cancer is transmitted solely through sexual contact are deceiving and do the public a disservice. The potential for improved health with the new vaccine in both men and women is tremendous--and is the biggest health care advance in 50 years for women. Therefore, it is important to emphasize the truth.

She goes on to explain that sexual contact is NOT the sole means of spreading HPV. Its pathogens are widespread, and fingers, Tampons, etc., can spread the infection.

So, unless Jesus wants to kill our women-folk for scratching "down there," there is no reason to oppose the vaccine.

Let's hope this reframes the right-wing objections out of existence.

(Note: The June Scientific American is not yet available at their site, but is on the newsstands.)

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