Living abroad, I am only too aware of how truly wonderful medical education and research is in the United States. Unfortunately, one of the offshoots of medical privatization is that there is a political-economic thread pervading the medical community that is ugly, callous, and generally counterproductive.

One of the most disgusting consequences of this profit-motive is that research and development focus overwhelmingly on treatment rather than prevention. The reason is simple: you can only sell a vaccine once, whereas you can gouge patients for years with medication that, in some cases, can cost more than most Americans earn in a year.

Given all that, I thought that Merck’s successful development of Gardasil, a vaccine intended to prevent cervical cancer, was somehow, I don’t know, a good thing ? After all, this is an ailment which kills thousands of women each year in the United States and hundreds of thousands worldwide.

But apparently, Bush-Christians would rather the women die as a punishment for having sex. I’m not joking :

Merck's vaccine had been shown to be completely effective against most strains that cause cervical cancer, with few side effects. But the Christian right seemed to view the vaccine as a license for promiscuity. The Chicago Tribune reported that "conservative groups promoting abstinence say they will fight recommendations that children get shots," while the Los Angeles Times warned of a "clash between health advocates ... and social conservatives."...

‘Culture of life’ my ass.