3 chapters across the catalog
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced a WHO initiative to eliminate cervical cancer through global vaccination, screening, and treatment. The strategy aims to reduce the incidence to below four per 100,000 women within a century. The push for the HPV vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic is viewed by some as a marketing effort to maintain pharmaceutical revenue streams.
The marketing of the Gardasil vaccine expanded from young girls to boys following claims by celebrities like Michael Douglas regarding HPV-linked throat cancer. Reports of adverse neurological effects in young women, such as involuntary movements and "walking backwards," contributed to skepticism. The segment highlights a history of vaccine-related concerns within Black communities.
The hosts examine the 1962 laughter epidemic in Tanganyika (modern-day Tanzania), where schoolgirls suffered from uncontrollable laughter for weeks, leading to the closure of 14 schools. The discussion links this historical case of mass hysteria to modern instances, such as reported neurological side effects among high school students following the deployment of the Gardasil HPV vaccine in upstate New York.
