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.
The drug vaccinates against genital warts, which is certainly not proven to be the sole cause or even direct link to cervical cancer - but merely a statistical indicator of likelihood. The drug may reduce the likelihood if statistical probability accurately indicates a link, but should not be interpreted as a cure for cancer. The pap smear test, by the way, has been around for years as a reliable early detection device.
My son is in 7th grade, and they haven't even broached sex ed yet. I think it comes up this semester, but he won't enter a class until I have reviewed all materials. I have never had a moral issues with the schools here in my city in GA. I am fairly sure the program will be conservative and acceptable.
Perhaps you need to have a loved one diagnosed with cervical canceer and then I want to hear you spout off about statistical indicators and other academic drivel.....
"Zero" reactions?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1778223/posts?page=70#70
Do some more research before you let a news story get your hopes up for a panacea. Gardasil directly treats HPV, not cancer.
Graft and population control. Follow-up reports on allergic reactions, neurological problems, autoimmune difficulties, and hormonal irregularities will be interesting to watch. Has anyone studied MS rates in correlation with mass socialist vaccination programs?
Rick Perry- you are a flaming dumb-a$$. I'm glad I voted for Kinky!
Quite proud of your vast knowledge on the subject are you?? Has anyone ever told you that you are a know it all pain in the a$$...if not let me be the first!
HPV is contagious. Really contagious. It is probably the most prevalent STD out there, though most cases are supposedly subclinical (no symptoms).
That said, mandating the shots is probably a bad idea. It irks me that Merck is behind it.
LOL. How do you suppose the boys get it?
I'm not a Texan, but I love Texas....and my son lives there.
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahaha! Are you kidding? There was a time when extramarital sex didn't happen? Are you smoking something?!
Only because it's heavily subsidized.
You need a different shot every year, but the savings in lost time from work is enormous. That is why many workplaces give free shots.
And I'm not discouraging that, but what I'm saying is that the specific question, "Why isn't every American required to get a flu shot" is easily answered: because there just aren't the production or distribution facilities and methods available to annually immunize 300,000,000 people. Maybe there should be, and maybe some day there will be, but today there aren't.
We don't know how effective the HPV vaccine is long term, because there hasn't been enough time to do the studies.
We do know the relative safety of the two vaccines, and in fact the HPV vaccine is safer. As for the effectiveness, a new flu vaccine is created each year, and because of the time issue, trials are only extremely limited. I'm not sure why you have so much confidence in the continued safety and efficacy of a vaccine produced in an extremely short period of time (the flu vaccine), but not one subjected to years and years of clinical trials (HPV).
Hardly anyone paid attention and now we all pay the price.
Government mandating a vaccine for a non-airborne disease is blatant whoring to pharmaceutical companies. Do you ever disagree with Gov. Perry about anything?
Gov. Perry is a typical corrupt politician. In this case being led around on a leash by the pharmaceutical drug lobby.
Considering that you're literally the only person on this thread who holds your opinion on this, are you willing to at least consider the possibility that your position on this is not the conservative one?
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