I'm keeping my cervix far away from the line.

So here's what I've been doing today:

http://www.shamelessmag.com/blog/2007/08/big-pharma-wins-again/

I am a fan of Shameless magazine. I like that it brings to light real issues instead of "281 ways to look pretty!" (see 17 for more of that). However, I don't like it when women in places of power at this magazine use it as a soapbox for their own personal (wrong) views about a vaccine that will help so many women. Yep -- HPV vaccine. It can't avoid controversy anywhere it goes. Here's my last bit, since I know most of you won't read it.

"I totally agree with you that Pap smears are essential to ensuring you stay cervical cancer-free. The problem is many women (like women in Aboriginal communities, as you mentioned)do not get Pap smears and it is these women who are most likely to get cervical cancer. Much needs to be done, socially. To start, why don’t we make sure all canadians are vaccinated? This is a huge break through in medical science. It is the first time in medical history that there is a vaccine against cancer — and this is what it is. 90% of cervical cancer is caused by HPV and it is the second highest cancer killer of women, second only to breast cancer, which has also been linked to HPV.

As to why the vaccine isn’t available to men — it is likely that the vaccine will be available to men in the next 12 months. This delay is because HPV does affect women more than men (although men can get anal, testicular and penile cancers from HPV as well). It is not a “women’s problem”. It is a solution for women.

As for Merck’s problems — they are a Big Pharmaceutical company, yes, so they are out to make a buck and out for themselves. But it would be cutting off our noses to spite our faces to push this breakthrough away because it is coming from Big Pharm. To make Merck more socially concious, why don’t we lobby them to donate vaccines to clinics where women who would never have access otherwise can get the vaccine? Women who will never get Pap tests, women who wear burkhas and chadors, whose husbands will never let them get Pap smears but who can get a needle and can protect themselves. I’m not trying to make sweeping generalizations, merely a suggestion. This vaccine can do so much good.

The idea that this is siphoning money away from other health issues frankly makes me a little annoyed, because this will in fact save so much money. As I said, HPV causes 90% of cervical cancer — without that 90%, so much money will be saved in terms of expensive, stage IV cancer treatments, all the way down to the wart treatments that come with HPV. Maybe not immediately, but in the long term, this will save so much money.

This vaccine has been in developement for over 20 years and clinical trials for 5. It has recieved exactly as much scrutiny as all other vaccines before they go to the public. Clinical trials continue, it will be monitored on an ongoing basis — just like every other vaccine. Why should we waste time over-scrutinizing when real lives can be saved. Scientific research on the long-term impact of the immune impact shows that if the vaccine is given to a 12-year-old, the immunity will be enhanced as time goes on. Why wait? We can help women. We can help an entire generation of teenagers, girls and guys. Why wait? Why put our cervixes on the line in order to “teach a lesson” to Big Pharm.? It is my body and as a socially-concious young woman, I feel my body will be of more use to any cause to which I want to lend it if I don’t have cervical cancer.

The fact is, cervical cancer prevention is a women’s issue — so let’s take control."

These women make me so angry sometimes. I hate that they would rather fight Big Pharm then save themselves and others from HPV and cervical cancer. This is a GOOD THING. Let's remember that people.