A couple of links

[sarahmichigan]

SYLVIA BROWNE IS A BIG FAT FRAUD

Have you read recently in the news about that boy who was kidnapped and found alive many years later? Sylvia Browne, supposed psychic, not only told his parents he was kidnapped by a Hispanic with dreadlocks (which also makes her a racist bitch) but that Shawn was dead. He turned out to be alive and was kidnapped by a white dude, no dreadlocks...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw_7sMKR8jo

TEXAS MANDATES HPV VACCINE-- HOORAY!

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-vaccine3feb03,1,2886229.story?coll=la-news-a_section

This is a great first step to reducing the occurrences of cervical cancer. I'm surprised that Texas, not known to be a bastion of liberal thinking, is doing this, but I'm glad they're standing up to fundies who think it'll encourage unsafe sex and the crazies who think that vaccines cause autism.

I'm not a fan of Big Pharma, but just because they'll profit doesn't make this a bad decision. Vaccines-- in general, not this one specifically-- are a blessing. If your kid has an allergy to an ingredient in a vaccine, it's one thing to ask for an exemption in one particular case. But wide-spread fear-mongering about the supposed dangers to the average child from vaccination is EVIL. People who refuse to vaccinate their kids for no legitimate medical reason should be investigated for child abuse and neglect. I am completely serious.

Comments

[guttaperk.livejournal.com]

I'm getting over demonisation of Big Pharma (not that you did- but others do...)

Many of the supposed evils of Big Pharma are really attributable to
- ever-rising (and often unreasonable) expectations of positive outcomes,
- doctors who don't read or think for themselves,
- people who overgeneralise.

:-)

[melstav]

I'm waiting for it to be cleared approved for use in men. Sure, we don't have to worry about cervical cancer (not having a cervix) but we can still carry the virus, and pass it on to others. Stopping the spread of HPV shouldn't be the sole responsibility of women.

I don't know that I necessarily agree with making it mandatory for school enrollment, either. HPV isn't like Measles, Mumps, or Meningitis. The whole point of mandatory vaccinations is to prevent an epidemic spread of disease in the school. HPV is spread primarily through sexual contact, unlike those other viruses. I'm not saying that I don't think it's a good idea to give the vaccine to our children, because I do.

Having spent a summer working for one of the Big Pharma, and having spent a fair amount of time over the last year, digging through FDA regs, I've developed an appreciation of the absolutely ludicrous amount of money involved in developing a new drug or a new piece of diagnostic equipment, and getting it approved for use in the United States.

[aiela.livejournal.com]

From what someone from Texas was posting, the governor got a lot of campaign dollars from Merck, but I still think mandating this is a good idea.

I still need to find out if Britt's insurance will pay for it or not, her doc didn't want to give it to her until I found out, because it costs $150.

But she'll be getting it.

[pastry-i-make.livejournal.com]

And after that show she was going to charge them money if they wanted to talk to her more.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_earthshine_/]

It just so happens i want to respectfully question one item each here.

Sylvia Browne, supposed psychic, not only told his parents he was kidnapped by a Hispanic with dreadlocks (which also makes her a racist bitch)...

I don't know the whole story here, but why does this, by itself, make her a racist bitch? I mean, never mind that she's probably a scam-artist or whatever -- i'm not defending that. But if she seriously thought, for whatever reason, that these were the facts behind the kidnapping, why is it racist of her just to say that?

I do agree that it's one of those "awareness" issues -- where one must be aware that they may be reinforcing a stereotype by saying what they wish too -- but i don't think simply saying it makes it racist. Maybe there's more to the story here?

People who refuse to vaccinate their kids for no legitimate medical reason should be investigated for child abuse and neglect.

Well, what kind of refusals and vaccinations are we talking about here?

Honestly, my wife and I question every vaccine we're offered for our kids. We balance each based on the likelihood of contracting the disease, the pain/risk/treatment of actually contracting the disease, known risks/side-effects of the vaccine, the amount of time the vaccine's been in use, etc.

Obviously, well-established low-risk vaccines that prevent deadly/damaging illnesses are no-brainers. Frankly, though, unless we're convinced that there is a good case for using the vaccine, we pass on it. Even if there's no documented medical risk to it, just hitting a kid's immune system with something like that is itself a risk. If there's no clear benefit/savings, why do it?

As it turns out, most vaccines we run in to seem worth it, but we've passed on a few that are "standards" offered without question by our pediatrician.

[dionysus1999.livejournal.com]

An arguement could be made that people who don't get their children vaccinated are just self-selecting to have their line terminated the next time a major epidemic sweeps the area. It's mostly just dumb ass middle class white folks, after all. Got plenty of them to go 'round.