[Pflienews] PharmFacts E-News Update: Pentacel should be avoided; HHS moves to include Plan B abortifacient in Conscience exemptions

Thu Jul 17 11:22:26 MDT 2008

*PharmFacts E-News Update -- 17 Jul 2008 AD

*
http://www.cogforlife.org/pentacel2.htm

*Parents, Pharmacists and Physicians Beware of Pentacel*

A July 17 article picked up by AP is touting Sanofi Pasteur's new 
Pentacel vaccine as a vaccine that will reduce the number of shots 
children receive. In fact, this is not true for most children who are 
already being vaccinated with Glaxo SmithKline's Pediarix, another 
5-in-1 vaccine that has been widely used in the US for over 5 years. 

The difference between the two is that Pentacel includes DTaP 
(diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis), polio and HiB.  Pediarix includes 
DTaP, polio and hepatitis-B.  Either shot would require an additional 3 
injections of either Hepatitis-B or HiB.  And while Pentacel is given in 
4 doses; Pediarix requires only 3 doses.  Pentacel also requires 
reconstitution from 2 separate vials prior to administration, while 
Pediarix comes ready to be used, making it less cumbersome and safer to 
use.  Either vaccine can be given from 6wks of age to 18 mos.

But the greatest disparity between the two vaccines is that Pentacel 
uses aborted fetal cell line MRC-5 in its polio version, while Pediarix 
uses Vero cell lines, making it the vaccine of choice for prolife 
families and physicians. 

Sanofi chose to market their aborted fetal version in the US after 
Canadian Physicians for Life successfully lobbied Health Canada for 
access to the ethically produced version in 
2006 and stopped using Pentacel. 

In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and the FDA withdrew the 
Sanofi "tainted" version of polio (Poliovax) from distribution in the US 
in early 2000.  The only separate dose of the polio vaccine (IPOL) that 
is given in the US uses Vero cell lines - not aborted fetal cell lines.  
Clearly, the only reason for the ACIP recommendation of Pentacel appears 
to be a financial plug for Pentacel's lagging sales.  Concerned parents 
and physicians beware:.  Pediarix is the ethical version - and it does 
mean less shots for children.

For more information visit www.cogforlife.org <http://www.cogforlife.org/>

------------------------------------------------------------------------
 From ALL release 7/17/08:
http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/07/16/feds-consider-new-rule-on-abortions-and-emergency-contraception/

*
FEDERAL PROPOSAL RECOGNIZES ABORTION TO INCLUDE BIRTH CONTROL PILL*

*Washington, DC (17 June 2008)* -- The Department of Health and Human 
Services is considering a rule that defines abortion to include birth 
control that prevents implantation, according to the New York Times. The 
federal proposal also reportedly expresses concern about state laws that 
require hospitals to provide emergency contraception to victims of rape.

"We're pleased the Bush administration has finally acted on truth," said 
Judie Brown, president of American Life League. "Birth control very 
often causes abortion -- period. The medical community has known for a 
long time and the government is just now admitting it. We hope this 
11th-hour consideration puts a new consciousness in the American people 
-- the pill kills."

The proposal protects pro-life medical workers from discrimination and 
ensures their freedom of conscience to refuse to participate in any 
activity that could result in an abortion.

It would guarantee that healthcare facilities receiving federal 
government aid will not refuse to hire employees who object to abortion 
and birth control.

The document goes on to identify abortifacient birth control as the 
following.

/"Any of the various procedures --- including the prescription, 
dispensing and administration of any drug or the performance of any 
procedure or any other action --- that results in the termination of the 
life of a human being in utero between conception and natural birth, 
whether before or after implantation."/

Brown commended the proposed regulations for acknowledging that preborn 
babies are dying before implantation.

"It is an admission that could have set the standard for everything the 
Bush administration has been doing for the past eight years," Brown 
said. "We hope this sets a precedent for further protection of preborn 
persons."

American Life League was cofounded in 1979 by Judie Brown. It is the 
largest grassroots Catholic pro-life organization in the United States 
and is committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the 
moment of creation to natural death. For more information or media 
inquiries, please contact Katie Walker at 540.659.4942.

*FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Life Site News:* Planned Parenthood in Hysterics (16 July 2008)
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jul/08071604.html 
<http://nvs.all.org/sendstudio/link.php?M=42879&N=360&L=1557&F=H>

*Medical News Today:* Legislators, Advocates Respond to Potential 
Federal Rule That Could Limit Birth Control Access (17 July 2008)
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/115319.php 
<http://nvs.all.org/sendstudio/link.php?M=42879&N=360&L=1556&F=H>

*Associated Press:* Health Proposal Rankles Democrats (16 July 2008)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jJ83TQdFoKZ_hSK8JAsImgooHrYQD91V97F80 
<http://nvs.all.org/sendstudio/link.php?M=42879&N=360&L=1558&F=H>

------------------------------------------------------------------------
PFLI PharmAid Center

pfli at pfli.org <mailto:pfli at pfli.org>
PO Box 1281
Powell, OH 43065-1281 USA
800-227-8359
www.pfli.org

PFLI supports pharmacist rights of conscience NOT to be forced to 
dispense or counsel for chemicals which violate their sincerely held 
religious, moral or ethical beliefs.  For more info see:
http://www.pfli.org/main.php?pfli=conscienceclausefaq

*** PFLI is the only pharmacy association which is exclusively pro-life.
It represents thousands of pharmacists and many lay supporters
in the USA, Canada and all around the globe. For membership info, key
PFLI texts, PFLI archives, late-breaking news, abridged newsletter excerpts
or general information, visit the PFLI web site at http://www.pfli.org.
Or e-mail us at mailto:pfli at pfli.org.

*** We do NOT send out SPAM. To subscribe to PharmFacts E-News, just 
send an e-mail with the word
"subscribe" in the subject area or better yet, just enroll right from 
our main news page at
http://www.pfli.org;  to cease your subscription [although we can't
imagine anyone would!] self-manage your account at: 
http://pfli.org/mailman/listinfo/pflienews_pfli.org

*** You may contact PFLI at any/all of the following: Pharmacists For 
Life International,
PO Box 1281, Powell, OH 43065-1281 USA,  1-800-227-8359 [US & Canada only],
 +1-740-881-5520 [voice] or +1-707-667-2447 [fax]; e-mail us at 
mailto:pfli at pfli.org.

*** You can order our publications as well as begin/renew your 
membership or donate right on our
secure website at http://www.pfli.org/shop <http://www.pfli.org>. Click 
on the "PFLI Store" link on the toolbar and
follow the prompts! There you can also donate to PFLI as well as 
purchase a wide range of publications. 

* *
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://pfli.org/pipermail/pflienews_pfli.org/attachments/20080717/abc0d353/attachment-0001.html 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 78028 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://pfli.org/pipermail/pflienews_pfli.org/attachments/20080717/abc0d353/attachment-0001.jpe 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: wn2g1ilkw05.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 1599 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://pfli.org/pipermail/pflienews_pfli.org/attachments/20080717/abc0d353/attachment-0002.jpg 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: hhs_art_200_20080716144314.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 17895 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://pfli.org/pipermail/pflienews_pfli.org/attachments/20080717/abc0d353/attachment-0003.jpg 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/gif
Size: 2923 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://pfli.org/pipermail/pflienews_pfli.org/attachments/20080717/abc0d353/attachment-0001.gif 