Maybe Merck & Co. should be renamed Merck/CDC & Co.

Maybe Merck & Co. should be renamed Merck/CDC & Co.

http://hsionline.com/2011/11/07/employee-of-the-year/

Employee of the year

If it were Wal-Mart, all the best parking spots at Merck would have signs saying “Reserved for The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” In fact, at this point, the CDC might as well be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Merck & Co.

As you’ve probably heard, the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee recently recommended that Gardasil become part of the routine schedule of vaccines for boys.

And on what did the committee base that recommendation?

It would almost be comical if it weren’t just more Merck/CDC & Co. business as usual.

Merck makes it rain

Earlier this year I told you about a study that created the first big push to include boys in the Gardasil fiasco. Results showed that the vaccine was somewhat effective in preventing genital warts.

But genital warts isn’t exactly a national emergency. So researchers went back to the drawing board and found an HPV link to anal cancer.

No doubt, this is a serious cancer that can be deadly. But HPV is not the only cause, and the number of anal cancer deaths each year is a tiny fraction of total cancer deaths. Again — not a national emergency. So is it enough reason for the CDC to recommend the vaccine for every young boy who turns 11?

Dr. Joel Palefsky believes it is. In a lab test, Dr. Palefsky showed that Gardasil can inhibit precancerous anal lesions. He told the LA Times, “I think this is a major step forward in prevention of HPV-related cancers.”

A “major step” from a lab test? Okay, if you say so.

But Dr. Palefsky’s glowing opinion of his own research is blunted by a major conflict of interest. The Times notes that Dr. Palefsky has been an advisor to Merck and received grants from the company.

Who’s shocked? Anyone? No. Merck has enough cash on hand to purchase as many researchers as necessary. In the genital warts study, seven of the authors were employees of Merck and owned Merck stock or stock options, and five authors received Merck grant support.

The worst part of this sorry CDC recommendation is that it carries plenty of clout. If the CDC gives Gardasil the green light as a routine shot for all young boys and girls, insurance coverage will follow. And as easy as that, this potentially dangerous vaccine will be folded in with the growing list of childhood shots that most parents never even question.

Congratulations, CDC. Move to the front of the parking lot. I believe you’re a strong contender to be named Merck’s employee of the year!

Sources:
“Routine HPV vaccine recommended for boys” Shari Roan, Los Angeles Times, 10/25/11, latimes.com

“Where the Boys Are: Merck, Gardasil and HPV” Ed Silverman, Pharmalot, 10/25/11, pharmalot.com

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  

David Satcher was a director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the interim president for the Morehouse School of Medicine, and is a board member for the CDC Foundation.

Note: Raben Group was the lobby firm for the Morehouse School of Medicine, and is the lobby firm for the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund.

Robert Raben is the president of the Raben Group, was the assistant attorney general for the U.S. Department of Justice, and a director at the American Constitution Society.

Eric H. Holder Jr. is a trustee at the Morehouse School of Medicine, the attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice for the Barack Obama administration, was an intern at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, a board member at the American Constitution Society, and Merck was his client.

Louis W. Sullivan was the president of Morehouse School of Medicine, and is an

Oak Bluffs (MA) homeowner.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is an Oak Bluffs (MA) homeowner, a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP, Valerie B. Jarrett’s great uncle, a senior director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think tank), and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP was the lobby firm for Merck, and the Center for American Progress.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, the Harlem Children's Zone, the Aspen Institute (think tank), the Center for American Progress, and the Committee for Economic Development.           

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a benefactor at the Harlem Children's Zone, a supporter for the Center for American Progress, and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the American Constitution Society, the Center for American Progress, and the Committee for Economic Development.                              

Michael R. Bloomberg was a benefactor at the Harlem Children's Zone, and is the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation.

Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the CDC Foundation, and the Aspen Institute (think tank).

CDC Foundation is a foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Anne M. Tatlock is a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation, and was a director at Merck.

Stephen L. Carter is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and an Oak Bluffs (MA) homeowner.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), a director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, and an Oak Bluffs (MA) homeowner.

Louis W. Sullivan is an Oak Bluffs (MA) homeowner, and was the president of the Morehouse School of Medicine.

Raben Group was the lobby firm for the Morehouse School of Medicine, and is the lobby firm for the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund.

Melody C. Barnes was a principal at the Raben Group, the EVP for the Center for American Progress, the domestic policy council, director for the Barack Obama administration, and is Barack Obama’s golf partner.                                          

Barack Obama is Melody C. Barnes’s golf partner, Obamacare is his signature policy initiative, and Charles J. Ogletree Jr. was his college mentor.

Charles J. Ogletree Jr. was Barack Obama’s college mentor, is a director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, and an Oak Bluffs (MA) homeowner.

Ronald R. Davenport Sr. is an Oak Bluffs (MA) homeowner, and was a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development.                                            

Donna S. Morea was a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development, and the EVP for the CGI Group Inc.

CGI Group Inc. was the Obamacare contractor that developed Healthcare.gov web site.

Obamacare is Barack Obama’s signature policy initiative.