HVP Drug Promoted by Medical Associations with Manufacturer's Money

Three medical associations promoted the HPV vaccine Gardasil using money that came directly from the manufacturer Merck, according to the Washington Post. Money given to the medical associations - the American College Health Association, the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, and the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists - by Merck totaled almost $750,000.

The HPV vaccine is used for fighting a virus that causes cervical cancer. The marketing campaign was an effort to promote the safety of the drug without disclosing its risks. And, the campaigns done by the medical associations were eerily similar to those Merck produced.