February 20, 2007
Merck Backs Off on HPV Vaccine
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Merck has suspended its campaign to convince state legislatures to make its new human papillomavirus vaccine mandatory for pre-teen girls "in the face of a growing backlash among parents, physicians and consumer advocates."
Posted by gooznews at February 20, 2007 05:31 PMVP Dick Cheney had some pleasant reading in Australia's Sunday Age, on his exit flight away from the 51st State.
From Healthcare's sticking point (http://tinyurl.com/27bve7):
"New drugs cost big bucks. Biomedicines cost an average of $1.2 billion to develop, when you include those that fail, according to CSL's chief economist, Sam Lovick. These huge costs need to be recovered. But PBAC is not interested in a company's profits. It recommends a price based on the drug's cost-effectiveness to the community: which health costs might be saved, and how length and quality of life will be improved."
CSL is based in Melbourne, and The Age is the Melbourne daily newspaper in the Fairfax company. This kind of supine compliance is not good.
I have sent a complaint by email to the national Opposition (Labor) health spokesperson, but am not hopeful of a response.
Posted by: Teki at February 25, 2007 12:25 AM