According to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and
Immunization (GAVI), if they are able to make a deal to cover the vaccines made
by the U.S. drug marker Merck and its British rival GlaxoSmithKline, it will be
able to have a huge impact on the health of millions of women in poorer
countries. More than 85 percent of the 275,000 cervical cancer deaths each year
occur in developing nations; the annual rate could increase to 430,000 by 2030
if no action is taken soon. Last year, Merck was offering the vaccine Gardasil
to GAVI countries at a discounted price of $5 per dose which will make a
required three-dose course at $15 per person; this was considered “a good
starting offer”. GAVI also requires that it will be available to countries who
demonstrate their ability to reach girls with HPV vaccines and the drug makers
can satisfy the supply and price requirements “up to a million girls and young
women could be protected”.
I actually agree with the article, I feel that GAVI and the
World Health Organization (WHO) are doing their best to ensure the optimal
health of all women. They are using the best prevention methods by educating
the women on what cervical cancer or HPV is and giving the best vaccine price
as possible. I feel a little concerned however, that the “best price” $15 is
going to be more difficult to get women to even want to take the vaccine. These
are extreme poverty countries GAVI and WHO are trying to get these medicines
to; women don’t have $15 to give or hardly any money for that matter. There has
to be a way that these corporations can find an alternative vaccine that is
just as effective as Gardasil at a more reasonable price.
No comments:
Post a Comment