Merck Turns to Vaccines to Save the Day

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http://www.mercola.com/2005/dec/31/merck_turns_to_vaccines_to_save_the_day.htm

 

Merck Turns to Vaccines to Save the Day

 

Merck & Co., plagued by lawsuits over its drug Vioxx, and recently

accused of tampering with that drug's safety data, is desperately

looking for new blockbuster products. One place they are conducting

their search is in the largely overlooked market for vaccines.

 

Three New Vaccines

 

Merck hopes to turn its fiscal fortunes around with the help of three

new vaccines in the FDA regulatory pipeline:

 

* Gardasil, a drug intended to protect women from four kinds of

human papillomavirus that accounts for the lion's share of cervical

cancer cases

* Zostavax, a vaccine for shingles

* Rotateq, an oral remedy for common gastrointestinal illnesses in

children

 

Gardasil

 

Gardasil is the biggest potential sales generator of the new products,

especially if U.S. health officials put the vaccine on lists that

recommend preteen and adolescent immunization schedules. Such lists

are often used by state and local governments to mandate vaccinations

before school admission.

 

However, some conservative groups have opposed making Gardasil

mandatory, even though doing so could help prevent an estimated

500,000 annual worldwide cases of cervical cancer, on the grounds that

it could inadvertently promote teenage promiscuity.

 

Good Publicity

 

Few companies traditionally put money into vaccine production, because

there are low profit margins and high product liability risk. Merck,

however, needs to improve its public image as well as its bottom line,

and vaccines often generate good publicity.

 

Chicago Tribune December 14, 2005

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

Merck is frantically looking for a home run, since it has lost tens of

billions of dollars already and potentially could lose even more in

the future over its well-publicized legal wrangling with patients over

the health-harming Vioxx, and also with Zocor running out of patent

protection.

 

However, what you and many other consumers may not recall -- and what

Merck is probably betting on -- is news of a scandal I posted earlier

this year involving the mislabeling of hepatitis B vaccines for babies

that weren't thimerosal-free. Merck continued to supply the infant

hepatitis B vaccine, which was contaminated with thimerosal, a mercury

preservative, for two years after announcing that it had eliminated

the toxin from the vaccine.

 

I find it rather ironic that Merck is attempting to reinvent its image

as a maker of scandal-plagued, deadly drugs by turning to vaccines --

which are, of course, scandal-plagued, deadly drugs. But of course,

drug companies like Merck frequently adopt malevolent behavior that

compromises human health and safety. I guess the leopard isn't going

to change its spots ...

 

An essential resource for anyone interested in protecting their health

and the health of their loved ones from the dangers of vaccines is

" Vaccines: What CDC Documents and Science Reveal, " a two-hour video by

world-renowned vaccine expert Dr. Sherri Tenpenny. The video is the

culmination of Dr. Tenpenny's three-year investigation into the real

story behind vaccines. The facts on several crucial areas are covered

including:

 

* How vaccines can cause illnesses including autoimmune diseases,

allergies, ear infections, and more

* The very real link between vaccines and developmental learning

and behavioral disorders in children

* How vaccines have never been proven safe

* The ingredients and contaminants in vaccines and why they're

detrimental to your health

* How vaccine studies are seriously flawed

 

Before you decide to vaccinate your children, I strongly recommend you

do them a favor and closely examine the serious risks and side effects

associated with vaccines. Doing so could very well mean the difference

between life and death for your child.

 

Related Articles:

 

Unbelievable Merck's Coverups Sends Them Into the Spotlight Again

 

Merck's Fortunes Take A Tumble

 

Can Merck Rehabilitate its Injured Image?