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.
Wow. He is REQUIRING the shots?
Follow the $$$ has never been creepier after reading this article. Disgraceful.
That seems a bit harsh.
"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."
Also, boys don't get cervical cancer (check your anatomy knowledge!) If there was an inoculation against prostate cancer, I'm sure it'd be mandatory, too - would you be complaining that the girls didn't have to get that vaccination?
Illuminati population control. Watch for the infertility reports and hormonal irregularities.
I can understand ordering vaccines for contagious diseases like Measles and Mumps.. but this is going too far. Is this the way the Republican part is going? Nanny State like the Libs?
I'm concerned..
Exactly! My 11 year old daughter will not get this vaccine and I will be contacting Perry's office soon.
Well, boys don't get cervical cancer, but I'm sure as soon as Merck can conceive of something to protect boys from themselves for $350 a pill, they'll force that down our throats too.
"I can understand ordering vaccines for contagious diseases like Measles and Mumps.. but this is going too far."
Exactly what I was thinking. Measles, mumps, polio you can all catch just from wandering around aimlessly at the Walmart. HPV can't be. This vaccine should be 100% voluntary.
Nope - but how is GlaxoSmithKline treating you these days, hm?
"If there was an inoculation against prostate cancer, I'm sure it'd be mandatory, too "
Shhh...don't give Merck and their lobbyists any ideas.
That's probably because boys can't get cervical cancer.
The Girls GET the virus from the boys! How about curing the boys first?
Psst - HPV-types can also be transmitted through simple contact, not just sexual intercourse.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_papillomavirus
OK, so now you're advocating that we mandate an untested (in males) vaccination?
If there wasn't an opt-out clause, I'd agree with you. But so long as you can sign yourself OUT of vaccinations, the "mandate" isn't really a mandate, it is just a strongly worded suggestion.
But the issue of whether the state should require ANY vaccinations is separate from whether they should require THIS vaccination.
BTW, as a quasi-libertarian, I am still in favor of vaccination programs, because it IS an area where government has to protect the common good, and only government can do so.
If every other person gets vaccinated, it is in your own interest NOT to be, since you can't get the disease from anybody else and you might be hurt by the vaccine.
But if everybody acts in their own interest, thousands, maybe millions, will die because nobody will get the vaccine.
It is a classic case where government is necessary for society to benefit as a whole where individual greed does not lead to optimal outcomes, or even good outcomes.
It's like having laws about which direction to drive on the street, and speed limits and stop signs. On an individual basis, you could violate all those things from time to time with no harm, but if there were no rules, we'd all be getting our cars fixed.
I can't say I agree with you giving the state the right to come into MY family unit and take away my parenting rights.
Sure, it's been 'safe' for now --- but what long term studies have there been?
Fortunately, I've got a minimum of 5 years before I have to "opt-out" my oldest. (And, for now, unless something changes, I will).
Well, I'm not. And I'm wondering why make it mandatory anyway? HPV isn't a threat like measles or smallpox. If vaccination's such a great idea, then I think parents will go for it if it's right for their kid/s. And if they don't, the kid can get it when the kid's an adult. What's next, BTW? Mandatory anti-obesity meds, if they become available? I think making this mandatory is a rotten idea.
So would an AIDS vaccine if it existed. But the only way somebody can get HIV or HPV is through sexual promiscuity. What Perry did today is NO DIFFERENT than signing a law requiring schoolkids to get vaccinated against AIDS.
This corporate whore Rick Perry (who claims he wants to be the Republican VP candidate in 2008 by the way) has essentially just stated that all Texas teenagers are sluts.
Do you really think that Perry's heart is pure and that he has the best interest of Texans in mind by signing this nonsense? Politicians by nature are whores.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.