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.
Of course, I was alive. My wife and I were virgin marrying virgin in 1954. We never had to worry about AIDS or STD's.
We've had a beautiful life together for 52 years.
Today, the typical college girl, according to research by Planned Parenthood, has at least 6 sexual partners during the four years of college.
Who want to eat off another man's dirty dishes?
If that's true, and if neither of you has had another sexual partner since, then you were then -- and are now -- very much the exception.
We never had to worry about AIDS or STD's.
And today, in 2007, 80% of American women are exposed to HPV by their 50th birthday. Given that data point, the question has to be how best to minimize the harm. Why put your daughter's life in the hands of her husband?
I believe we send the wrong message to young girls--children--when we assume they need to be protected from what is primarily, if not wholly, a sexually transmitted virus. I assume that this movement has the blessings of the same crowd that wants to issue condoms and birth control prescriptions to our children. Our children are gifts from God entrusted to us their parents. It is our responsibility, not the government's, to love, nurture, guide, and discipline them. If your little boys or girls are sexually active, you and they have much bigger problems than a pharmaceutical company or a Texas governor can cure.
Texas school children are being used as lab rats!
You missed the point. You can be a busybody by lobbying against this under the guise of "parental rights." You can also be a busybody by lobbying for this by saying everyone must have it. It works both ways.
You are right. I voted for Perry. Look at our choices!
From what I understand, it is not mandated. One can opt out of this if one chooses to based on religious grounds.
LOL - you alarmists and reactionaries crack me up. Unless a person remains a virgin until her wedding night and the spouse is documented and proven virgin then there is a danger of HPV.
It is easily spread and pretty common.
Why "Texas, of all places" please?
Actually, it's estimated that over 80% of adult females have HPV. It can be contracted from non-sexual contact, including toilet seats.
In healthy women it's usually asymptomatic.
How about letting the parents choose?
I was listening to liberal KGO radio of San Francisco, and the woman who talks about health issues came out against Perry's new law.
I was kind of shocked.
She said it hadn't been tested enough (especially on young girls), and Perry was too in bed with the drug companies.
Perry "was" a Dem and probably only changed parties to run statewide. He is an ongoing embarrassment, IMO.
I think I will have my 10 year old daughters get this vaccine when they are older like when they are 16-18. But I'd like it to be used a few years to see what the real side effects are before I start giving it to my daughters who are not sexually active.
I do not want the govt in on my husband's and mines decision.
But they certainly can spread HPV, so why not have them vaccinated.
"And today, in 2007, 80% of American women are exposed to HPV by their 50th birthday."
If your figures are correct, you may have a point about the need to protect adults, but I still don't see why children (male or female) need to be immunized against sexually transmitted diseases.
I feel sure that Texas children are just like children everywhere else: they play with toy trucks and cars, spend hours with dolls and playhouses, and happily ride bicycles with friends. They love sports, animals, and computer games. But most of all, they love to go fishing or camping or most any activity with Dad and Mom. Please preserve childhood! Preserve families! Say NO to people who pretend that they know what is best for your children; that's your God-given privilege and responsibility.
I'm an old lady now, but I'd have fought like a tiger if anyone had tried to take away my children's childhood...for any reason. Stand up for your children, Texas.
Thanks for the info. We have to be very careful with one of my daughters and vaccines. She has brain damage, and we watch the side effects. This one looks to have too many neurological side effects.
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