Sunday, May 13, 2007

Vaccine's future murky for Merck?

A recent Los Angeles Times article discusses the results of a study that suggest Merck's human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine only protects against one or two strains of the virus. HPV is known to cause cervical and other cancers in women.

By early 2007, many states created legislation for mandatory vaccination for teenage girls, igniting a national debate. The ramifications of these statues in addition to the efficacy of the vaccination, are ripe grounds for public relations practitioners and lobbyists.

Merck, having weathered the inital round of scrutiny, is again positioning itself as one of several vaccines designed to prevent HPV.

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