Medical groups promoted HPV vaccine using drug company money

At least three medical associations promoted a vaccine that protects against a sexually transmitted virus using funds provided by the vaccine's manufacturer, according to a new analysis being published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The groups—the American College Health Association, the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, and the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists—promoted Gardasil using virtually the same strategy that Merck employed in its marketing campaign for the vaccine, the analysis concluded.