I remember all the hysteria over the MMR & chickenpox vaccines. That turned out to be much ado about not much.
I know that no medication is 100% safe for 100% of the people and that adverse events can happen.
I know that there was an opt-out provision for the HPV vaccine in Texas.
And I know that there are a considerable number of low rent/ low brow ‘parents’ who wouldn’t get their kids vaccinated for anything if not required to enter school.
I think we are getting all tied up in the benefits or not of the vaccine. The important issue here is that Perry was all too willing to put government in control and also the perception, if not outright ties, to crony capitalism. I think his willingness to put government over the people is serious and the influence of Merck is telling.
Perry says he only got $5000 but it was really $6000, not a big difference, but it has come out that he has received much, much more from Merck throughout his carreer and the ties of people in his administration lead to other sticky issues. It appears more dirt will be coming on that whole deal.