This time, they're determined to oppose a vaccine that could prevent the majority of deaths from cervical cancer.
DEATHS from cervical cancer could jump fourfold to a million a year by 2050, mainly in developing countries. This could be prevented by soon-to-be-approved vaccines against the virus that causes most cases of cervical cancer - but there are signs that opposition to the vaccines might lead to many preventable deaths.
The trouble is that the human papilloma virus (HPV) is sexually transmitted. So to prevent infection, girls will have to be vaccinated before they become sexually active, which could be a problem in many countries.
In the US, for instance, religious groups are gearing up to oppose vaccination, despite a survey showing 80 per cent of parents favour vaccinating their daughters. "Abstinence is the best way to prevent HPV," says Bridget Maher of the Family Research Council, a leading Christian lobby group that has made much of the fact that, because it can spread by skin contact, condoms are not as effective against HPV as they are against other viruses such as HIV.
"Giving the HPV vaccine to young women could be potentially harmful, because they may see it as a licence to engage in premarital sex," Maher claims, though it is arguable how many young women have even heard of the virus.
New Scientist
So there you go. Preventing thousands of women from dying of cervical cancer is to be opposed because it involves a virus that is spread by sexual contact.
In light of this, there is no reason to expect a different reaction should someone develop an AIDS vaccine. Giving the vaccine might just make people think they can have sex withouth risk of death, so it must be opposed by these lunatics.
In other words, potential deadly consequences to sexual activity are just fine with them. Desirable, even.
Via The Light of Reason.
