The Religious Right is trying to kill you

Seriously!

Where could I be going with such a dramatic statement? Let's talk stats first.

Did you know that the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) -- a sexually transmitted disease-- infects over 80% of 15-50 year olds and can cause cervical cancer?

The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2006, over 9,700 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer and 3,700 women will DIE from this cancer in the U.S.

There is promising news. An vaccine has been created to prevent HPV. It has already been tested in over 11,000 females (ages 9-24 years) in many countries around the world and there are no serious side effects (only problem reported was soreness at injection site). The vaccine contains no thimerosal or mercury and there are no infectious materials.

This vaccine will guard against 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts. Clearly women would still need pap tests to regularly screen for possible cancer. And this vaccine would not prevent other S.T.I.'s (Sexually Transmitted Infections).

Public Health officialls are speaking out for administering this vaccine before females are sexually active (the proposed age of vaccination would be for girls 11-12 year olds with catch-up vaccination for 13-26 year olds).

So what does all this good news have to do with the religious right? Or the religious WRONG as they ought to be known...

Because those bible beaters are doing everything they can to ensure this vaccine never becomes a reality. True, it has already become FDA approved (they failed there) but the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will vote on June 29th whether or not to recommend the vaccine and if so, who should get it and at what ages. Even then laws will vary from state to state regarding, age of vaccination and insurance coverage. You can bet the religious wrong are lobbying hard.

The religious wrong in this country and the pro-life groups have come out against the vaccine suggesting among other things, that it will simply incite youngsters (read: especially women) to become more promiscuous. They say it will give kids the green light to have sex and send the wrong message.

These religious wrong is basically saying: "Sluts deserve to get cancer."

Think about it, that IS what they are saying. Since they know women are getting cervical cancer every day but keep preaching that if you don't have sex you're a good person and God loves you then what does that mean for the infected? They are bad. They deserve it. If they had simply done what they were told, they'd be healthy now.

The Religious Wrong are gambling with your lives and trying to tamper with medical information. They do this by constantly lobbying against life-saving vaccines and Emergency Contraception going over the counter. The continually lobby for the FDA to change warning labels on condoms so the label will talk NOT about what condoms actually do, but rather talk of the condoms' ineffectiveness.

Well to that I say, read this article --- BOO YAH!

It's sad that people had to conduct a whole study proving to these morons that YES condoms are effective.

"A three-year study of female college students -- all virgins at the start -- found that women whose partners always wore a condom during sex were 70 percent less likely to become infected with the human papilloma virus, or HPV, than those whose partners used protection less than 5 percent of the time."

Notice that in the numbers, condoms do not 100% prevent HPV. Well that's a given. Every one knows the only way to 100% prevent a S.T.I. or pregnancy is to abstain. However, if you are going to engage in sexual activity and want to DRAMATICALLY lower your odds of contracting HPV or a number of other diseases... WEAR A CONDOM. This is not rocket science.

We shouldn't have to prove that this is scientifically the right thing to do. It should only take common sense. But in a world of these nutjobs... we have to prove common sense with exspensive scientific studies.

Wearing a condom is safe. It prevents disease. Getting a vaccine against a widespread S.T.I. is a great medical breakthrough. If it's safe and approved, why not sign up your daughters?

Think... even if your daughter was a virgin on her wedding day, her husband could still pass her the virus if he had even just ONE other sexual partner. Does that mean she should contract cerivcal cancer and die? OF COURSE NOT! Stop punishing people for engaging in sex!

Help protect your community's health!

For more info:
http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/
http://www.cdc.gov/std/pubs/

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http://www.sci-tech-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=1010001QQOY6