One Woman Campaign

PC Warning for some political content.  



This public service announcement is brought to you compliments of www.hpv.com.  You see, the recent campaign launched by Merck to “Tell Someone” about a virus that causes cervical cancer puts postcards in almost all the million magazines I get.  So I have been pulling them all out and sending them to my friend Jacki. I think some of them are awfully cute. Like this one.

So Jacki then mentioned that since I was a one woman campaign, she would share that her pediatrician had brought up the soon to be released vaccine for certain types of HPV, referring to the near 100% effectiveness in preventing cervical cancer resulting from HPV when given to young ladies prior to their becoming “active”.  I find this quite impressive. Turns out, the vaccine is put out by the same company who made the postcards.

Here is what gets me – even in searching for some basic details, I have already seen dozens of posts and articles going on and on about how this will cause increased sexual activity. And to that, I say, seriously?  A cancer vaccine will make sweet young things with nary a thought in their head towards promiscuity turn magically into trollops? I doubt it.

Then some say that Merck is only trying to launch this campaign to sell its vaccine, and that it is confusing because people don’t understand that HPV is actually an STD, and not a virus you get when someone sneezes on you.  So then I also say, who cares?  Who cares if Merck is being vague with details and it scares people, so they look for information, and learn more about something that causes cervical cancer?  And who cares if Merck is only telling us this so they can sell vaccines that can entirely eliminate the risk that my kids will ever get cervical cancer?  If I have this straight, then my kids will not get cervical cancer. To that, I say thank you. Thats right, in capital letters, THANK YOU. 

So bring it on.  Trick me.  Confuse me.  Sell me your overpriced vaccine.  I vow to remain thankful.  And I think I will tell someone.

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