Such is the clamour for governments around the world to adopt mass
immunisation programmes for adolescent girls against cervical cancer that a
mass rally took place in Paris last week.  It included leading doctors from
all over Europe who shared a platform with celebrities.

They were calling for the universal take-up of the cervical cancer vaccine
Gardasil, the only one on the market, which is manufactured by Sanofi
Pasteur.

And guess what?  The rally and support campaign were funded entirely by
Sanofi Pasteur, who have so far put in more than £1 million ($1.9m) to get
their new vaccine adopted by governments.  They paid for the travel expenses
of most of those who attended the rally in Paris, which was heralded as "the
first global summit against cervical cancer", and some also received an
attendance fee.

Sanofi Pasteur's tactics have been likened to a "battering ram", although
they are hardly different from any other drug company.

True, early trials suggested the vaccine provides protection against four
common types of human papillomavirus, which can cause cervical and vulval
pre-cancers and genital warts, but nobody is sure of the vaccine's longterm
health risks.

Health officials are also concerned that a mass vaccine programme would also
deflect against adult screening, which they view as being equally as
important.

Source:  The Guardian, March 26, 2007).