Merck turns to vaccines after vioxx debacle.

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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? Print :: Close “New opinions often appear first as jokes and fancies, then as blasphemies and treason, then as

questions open to discussion, and finally as established truths.” – George Bernard Shaw.

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