A new vaccine which may be 100% effective in preventing common forms of cervical and other types of cancer is ready for approval:
Reuters--Food and Drug Administration staff said they would ask an advisory panel that meets on Thursday to discuss the safety and effectiveness of Gardasil as well as findings that some women and girls who were infected with HPV before they got the vaccine had a higher rate of cervical lesions. Gardasil has shown 100 percent efficacy in preventing the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus, which causes 70 percent of cervical cancer cases, according to Merck. This type of cancer kills nearly 4,000 women in the U.S. annually and nearly 300,000 worldwide, according to the National Cervical Cancer Coalition.
Merck also quietly kicked off a PR and promotional plan which some industry observers speculate was a preemptive strike aimed at the Religious Reich. It appears to have been at least partially successful as seen by this Fatwa from a year ago:
New Scientist--"Abstinence is the best way to prevent HPV," says Bridget Maher of the Family Research Council, a leading Christian lobby group ..."Giving the HPV vaccine to young women could be potentially harmful, because they may see it as a licence to engage in premarital sex."
Compared to the new Fatwa:
CNN-- Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council, both faith-based conservative policy organizations, recently have spoken in support of HPV vaccines from Merck and GlaxoSmithKline because of their life-saving potential. But the organizations still promote abstinence before marriage as the best way to prevent infection. "The HPV vaccine does not, in any circumstances, negate or substitute God's plan for sexuality ..."
I'm kind of curious who in their right mind might have made the argument that a vaccine would substitute for a deity in the first place? I bet such claims never came from my side of the political divide. But whoever it was, it turns out there's no conflict between God and vaccines after all! And just in case any trouble makers go back and find religious extremists saying otherwise, I'm sure Squealer will sneak into the barn and revise any pesky records so as to reflect the new truth.