This week’s article concerns the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization wanting to buy vaccines that will prevent cervical cancer for women and small girls in poor countries. Buying the vaccines however depended on how reasonably they were priced and if countries will be able to administer the shots effectively. The shot is normally priced at $300 but The GAVI able to get it for around $15 from manufactures known as Schwalbe and Merck. GAVI considers this vaccine to be worth the buy because cervical cancer kills 275,000 deaths per year with 88% being in poor countries.
HPV vaccine isn’t a new concept for me. I have had the shots and my sister is going to have hers as soon as she is old enough. My family and I first came about knowing about the vaccine was one day during a routine checkup we saw the flyer that said they had the shots available for Americans to take. I took the shots to prevent cervical cancer and had no idea how much it cost nor did it matter, but for women in poor countries cost means everything to them and without the price being low and affordable there is no way they will be able to get the vaccine and prevent this type of cancer happening to them. The vaccine is primarily for young girls that way as they get older they won’t have to worry about it in their older years. Each day in the U.S about 11,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer per year. Cervical cancer is also the second most common cause of death in women in the world therefore efforts to make vaccines available in poor countries where more than half of the cases occur is important to improving world health and stop useless deaths around the world.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/vaccines-group-to-buy-cervical-cancer-shot-as-long-as-its-cheap-and-countries-can-deliver-it/2011/11/17/gIQAFwRXUN_story.html
http://www.gardasil.com/hpv/hpv-types/hpv-transmission/index.html
http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/cancers/en/
12 comments:
Its great that groups are taking proactive measures for poorer countries, and giving them a better chance at life.
Things like this are what provide hope for me. When women are educated and vaccinated, and given a shot at survival, that opportunity is proliferated for generations to come as it is passed from mother to child. Cervical cancer is actually quite common and although Gardasil is not the solution, it is a good place to start.
This is great that they are trying to do that. These girls don't have those same opportunities as we do so its great we are trying to allow them to have the same options
I think this is fantastic! Providing these shots as well as other advanced medicine to underdeveloped countries is something that MUST be done.
It is nice to see that people care and are being proactive. It gives women hope and opportunity to become further educated
Anytime we pass knowledge that we have onto other countries who don't have the means to discover it on their own is positive. These women now have opportunities they might not otherwise have had.
I think this a great idea! Not only is buying these shots for impoverished countries considered to an overall good deed, but at the end of the day, these vaccines can help save a life.
I think this a great idea! Not only is buying these shots for impoverished countries considered to an overall good deed, but at the end of the day, these vaccines can help save a life.
This vaccine is becoming highly recommended for young girls. I think it will make a difference if the cost of this shot were lowered. Females are less fortunate countries need the opportunity to take this shot before exposed to the virus. I did not know 11,000 women were diagnosed from cervical cancer per year. Overall, this is a virus that can be deadly to some. It is unfair if that a female cannot receive it due to the lack of funds.
This is absolutely a step in the right direction to provide HPV vaccines to poor countries who otherwise wouldn't have access to them. Especially since 88% of deaths due to cervical cancer are in poor countries. Hopefully over time this will no longer be a problem and everyone will be able to receive this life-saving vaccine.
I think it is great that this group is buying this vaccine to help protect girls and young women from cervical cancer. There are vaccines that cost about $1 per child that could also save their lives. We get these vaccines automatically when we are born and after our first month check-ups. This goes to show that it doesn't take much to make a difference.
I think it's marvelous that there are groups out there that are doing things like this.
Post a Comment