Posted on 02/02/2007 1:28:44 PM PST by YCTHouston
AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry ordered today that schoolgirls in Texas must be vaccinated against the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer, making Texas the first state to require the shots.
The girls will have to get Merck & Co.'s new vaccine against strains of the human papillomavirus, or HPV, that are responsible for most cases of cervical cancer.
Merck is bankrolling efforts to pass laws in state legislatures across the country mandating it Gardasil vaccine for girls as young as 11 or 12. It doubled its lobbying budget in Texas and has funneled money through Women in Government, an advocacy group made up of female state legislators around the country.
Details of the order were not immediately available, but the governor's office confirmed to The Associated Press that he was signing the order and he would comment Friday afternoon.
Perry has several ties to Merck and Women in Government. One of the drug company's three lobbyists in Texas is Mike Toomey, his former chief of staff. His current chief of staff's mother-in-law, Texas Republican state Rep. Dianne White Delisi, is a state director for Women in Government.
Toomey was expected to be able to woo conservative legislators concerned about the requirement stepping on parent's rights and about signaling tacit approval of sexual activity to young girls. Delisi, as head of the House public health committee, which likely would have considered legislation filed by a Democratic member, also would have helped ease conservative opposition.
Perry also received $6,000 from Merck's political action committee during his re-election campaign.
It wasn't immediately clear how long the order would last and whether the legislation was still necessary. However it could have been difficult to muster support from lawmakers who champion abstinence education and parents' rights.
Perry, a conservative Christian who opposes abortion rights and stem-cell research using embryonic cells, counts on the religious right for his political base.
But he has said the cervical cancer vaccine is no different than the one that protects children against polio.
"If there are diseases in our society that are going to cost us large amounts of money, it just makes good economic sense, not to mention the health and well being of these individuals to have those vaccines available," he said.
Texas allows parents to opt out of inoculations by filing an affidavit stating that he or she objected to the vaccine for religious or philosophical reasons.
Even with such provisions, however, conservative groups say mandates take away parents' rights to be the primary medical decision maker for their children.
The federal government approved Gardasil in June, and a government advisory panel has recommended that all girls get the shots at 11 and 12, before they are likely to be sexually active.
The New Jersey-based drug company could generate billions in sales if Gardasil — at $360 for the three-shot regimen — were made mandatory across the country. Most insurance companies now cover the vaccine, which has been shown to have no serious side effects.
Merck spokeswoman Janet Skidmore would not say how much the company is spending on lobbyists or how much it has donated to Women in Government. Susan Crosby, the group's president, also declined to specify how much the drug company gave.
A top official from Merck's vaccine division sits on Women in Government's business council, and many of the bills around the country have been introduced by members of Women in Government.
I was at my allergist, and he also happens to be an immunologist, and he told me the vaccines are only 80% effective, that is, only 80% of those who get them are protected somehow. The other 20% aren't. And of the 80% the level of protection varies.
A Republican....Rick Perry....TEXAS!...is doing this!!!
Figures. Every time I see Perry's name in the news it's something bad. I also keep seeing his name mentioned as a possible VP nominee for 08, which would be a disaster.
We need to stop this guy NOW. IMO he'd be worse than McCain on the ticket, because at least you know what you're getting with McCain.
Perry seems to feed people all this conservative rhetoric, then he governs with a heavy hand through the backchannels by cutting sweetheart deals with people like Merck and the government of Mexico.
metmom, nobody is forcing you to do a thing. The order specifically permits people to be idiots.
Yes, it shifts the burden on you to affirmatively declare yourself to be an idiot, but I'll bet you can handle that. Just check the box.
You must be a male. This vaccine is only effective for 3 strains of HPV. There are many more. This vaccine can cause pain at the site of the vaccine and who knows what other symptoms. This vaccine is not needed for girls who do not sleep around. This vaccine must be administered in a series of 3 applications and it must be done every 5 years. I would say nuts to you Gov. Perry. You have no right to tell parents what kind of medical protection to give to their children. I hope the parents in Texas tell Gov. Perry they are not happy with his decision.
What a convenient way to get a list on non-compliers for the government to track. Filled out by themselves, no less. It saves the government the time and trouble of searching out the rabble rousers themselves.
Yeah, I support roads and vaccines. That makes me so DIRTY.
(A) A person claiming exclusion for reasons of conscience, including a religious belief, from a required immunization may only obtain the affidavit form by submitting a written request to the department. The request must include the following:
(i) full name of child;
(ii) child's date of birth (month/day/year);
(B) Written requests must be submitted through the United States Postal Service (or other commercial carrier), by facsimile, or by hand delivery to the department's Bureau of Immunization and Pharmacy Support, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756.
(C) Upon request, one affidavit form for each child will be mailed unless otherwise specified (shall not exceed a maximum of five forms per child).
(D) The department shall not maintain a record of the names of individuals who request an affidavit and shall return the original request with the forms requested.
It only "works" for 3 or 4 strains of HPV. There are many many more out there for which the vaccine does nothing offers no protection.
Most people don't do any research before they start vaccinating their children. It is really sad.
But, to be fair, Dog Gone has a terrific FR "About" page. Almost makes me like him. ;-)
Hello! Boys can spread it! It doesn't matter if they don't get the cancer. Does is make sense to vaccinate half the population to stop the spread of a disease?
The biggest problem is getting insurance companies to cover it. It is a very expensive product to be sitting on the shelves of a primary care doc. They don't get the big discounts and easy availability that the public health departments do.
I suppose you think it is idiotic to protect my children from
becoming like my nephew, who is severely brain damaged from a DPT shot. He was perfectly normal one minute, and began having seizures after the shot. He is 23 and function at the level of about a 4 year old. He can't talk. He will never graduate, never get married.
I will take being called an idiot over inflicting such a fate on my children.
It's not always the product that's dirty - it's the means by which it was obtained, and this Perry guy seems to have a penchant for whorin' to the companies that make those things.
Even if you like the results of a couple of his dirty deals, those types of habits are never good in government. Perry's crooked motives may give you something you want now but that will not always be the case. Crooks are crooks and they typically don't care whether their insider deals hurt or help people in the process.
so let's ban cigarettes then, HUGE savings from that.
Nope, because there have already been instances mentioned in the thread that show opting out doesn't always work. And besides, why should I have to go to teh time and trouble to opt out of something that shouldn't be mandatory anyway.
"Yeah, I support roads and vaccines."
TOLL roads and MANDATORY vaccination.
Such are not the way of true Texans.
It is as long as it puts the burden entirely on the parents to complete it. HPV should be an "opt-in" vaccine, not an "opt-out" one.
Guess if you can't answer her questions you just resort to name calling.....
...very mature of you.
I want to know one thing....
Do you have children?
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