Gardasil: The Chance to Prevent Cervical Cancer.

Cervical cancer is the world's second leading cancer in women. For the first time women and girls have the chance to prevent a cancer. The establishment of the new STD vaccine for cervical cancer, known as Gardasil, has led to at least 18 states debating whether to give the vaccine to young school girls age 11 or 12 before they enter in to the sixth grade. So far only Texas has added Gardasil as a required vaccine. The federal government is also trying to pass a law by making Gardasil one of the vaccinations young girls are to have in order to enroll in school.
Merck & Co. first discovered the vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. It is helping to bankroll the efforts to pass state laws to encourage young girls to take the vaccine. Through the advocacy group made of female state legislators around the country, Merck was able to raise the money to advocate for requiring the vaccine. Most insurance companies have now covered the vaccine since it has no serious side effects. The New Jersey drug company could generate millions of dollars from the vaccine if only it was made mandatory in the country.
However, according to an article on MSNBC, “Drugmaker wants law to require STD shot” (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16891832/wid/11915773/), some groups are concerned. “The relationship between Merck and women in government is too cozy” and “what it does is benefit the pharmaceutical companies and I don't want pharmaceutical companies taking precedence over the authorities of parents,” said Cathie Adams, the president of the conservative watchdog group Texas Eagle Forum. Once again the parents were left out in the decision making. Some of the parents felt this would encourage young girls to have premarital sex, and would affect the way parents raise their kids at home. According to Perry, the conservative governor of Texas, the vaccine is no different from that for polio. Even though it might be very expensive to the economy, it will make sense to help the individuals in the society who need it. I tend to agree with the governor.
I think it will be a good idea to include the vaccine as one of the vaccinations young girls should get. This will help prevent the virus and decrease the death rate from cervical cancer. Through education, parents can learn how serious and dangerous this virus is and that the vaccine has no side effects that are known yet. Even though the drug company will make lots of money from the vaccine, this will encourage other companies to increase research for vaccines for other types of cancer.
This new invention is one of the most fascinating things to be discovered in this country; people are dying everyday and the only chance to save one more life when it comes to cervical cancer is in our hands. Who cares if the drug companies make money if the vaccine saves lives? Also, the drug companies have spent a lot of money in producing the vaccine and doing research for the vaccine. So if it costs a lot of money, it’s still worth it. It’s like a CT Scan; we don’t prevent people from getting CT scans because they cost a lot of money; the scans save lots of lives. Also, people’s religious ideas prevent them from seeing that the vaccine could save lives. I am pretty sure most people would agree to give the vaccine to the young girls in schools because this would be like giving females a chance to make a choice or die. I don’t agree that the vaccine would encourage premarital sex because there are still lots of diseases one can get through premarital sex.
Here we are trying to debate about a vaccine that would put the smile on the faces of young girls in the future. As Perry said, we should consider this as a vaccine; that is the best way to look at it because in the past people died out of polio and now there is a vaccine that cures it, which means it was worth giving it a try.. Since life is too short why don't people make a big difference in the world for once to reduce the death rate of cervical cancer patients? Here we are in a world of technology and if we don't make good use of it then what is the use of having it at all. I speak for myself but if there is anyone out there who wants to save lives, the person should speak up or sit and watch many more die.