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Perry orders anti-cancer vaccine for schoolgirls
Houston Chronicle/AP ^ | Feb. 2, 2007 | LIZ AUSTIN PETERSON

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.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Government; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: 1parentalrights; aagreatthing; abortion; abstinence; adiosmofo; bigbrother; captaingardasil; childhood; childhoodinnocence; children; closethomoperry; corporatism; donperrito; eugenics; everyonehasaids; executiveorder; fiat; filthypolitician; gardasil; genitalwarts; governorhairspray; govgoodhair; govwatch; govzoolander; health; hellno; heterosexualagenda; hip; homeschool; homosexualagenda; hpv; hugochavez; humanpapillomavirus; ignorance; impeachment; impeachperry; indoctrination; innocence; itcantstopaids; merck; moralabsolutes; nannystate; naral; now; parentalrights; perry; perry2012; perrytruthfile; perverts; plannedbarrenhood; populationcontrol; prickferry; queergovernor; rapists; rickperry; rinorick; scaredofscience; sex; sexobject; sexobjects; sexualizingchildren; socialism; socializedmedicine; stds; texas; thisisbstellsomeone; tramps; vaccinations; vd; whore; womyn
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To: YCTHouston

Boys get HPV infection in the form of genital warts and can spread it to females who in turn get cervical or oropharyngeal cancer. Boys and boys together (it happens even in Texas) can cause oropharyngeal and anal cancers.


41 posted on 02/02/2007 1:47:45 PM PST by CholeraJoe (Spork weasels ain't afraid of nuthin' but running out of sardines.)
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To: Dog Gone
That's probably because boys can't get cervical cancer.

But they can get penile cancer from certain strains of HPV, IIRC. And they can certainly spread HPV.

42 posted on 02/02/2007 1:47:51 PM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: Dog Gone
That's probably because boys can't get cervical cancer.

But they carry the virus. And if they're sexual profligates, will give it out liberally to every girl they shag. Trust me, it's only a matter of time before Nanny Perry mandates this for boys as well.
43 posted on 02/02/2007 1:48:25 PM PST by Antoninus ( Who is Duncan Hunter? Find out....www.gohunter08.com)
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To: Spktyr
Psst - HPV-types can also be transmitted through simple contact, not just sexual intercourse.

But honestly, do you really think the "simple contact" route is why an estimated 30-50% of sexually active females have HPV?
44 posted on 02/02/2007 1:50:18 PM PST by Antoninus ( Who is Duncan Hunter? Find out....www.gohunter08.com)
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To: Antoninus

Not until Merck completes the male testing and gets FDA approval, and that's well more than 5-7 years away.


45 posted on 02/02/2007 1:50:35 PM PST by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: mewzilla

This isn't the first anti-cancer vaccine that has been made mandatory. Hepatitis B vaccine prevents liver cancer.


46 posted on 02/02/2007 1:50:36 PM PST by CholeraJoe (Spork weasels ain't afraid of nuthin' but running out of sardines.)
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To: COEXERJ145

Actually, some people see mandating a vaccine that is unneccesary as a usurpation of parental rights.


47 posted on 02/02/2007 1:50:42 PM PST by Malacoda (A day without a pi$$ed-off muslim is like a day without sunshine.)
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To: CharlesWayneCT
NJ mandates that every child attending school be given the Hepatitus vaccine (not sure which one)

A parent refused to vaccinate his child and not only was the child banned from the classroom but the school system moved to remove the child from the parents home.

This was a NJ freeper and goes back a few years ago. I do not know how this was resolved.

48 posted on 02/02/2007 1:50:57 PM PST by OldFriend (Swiftboating - Sinking a politician's Ship of Fools by Torpedoes of Truth)
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To: Spktyr

I'm just making the point that girls would not get the virus unless they are having sex with boys.. so why not figure out how to nip it in the bud at the source first?


49 posted on 02/02/2007 1:50:57 PM PST by divine_moment_of_facts ("Listen to the sustain!" "I'm not hearing anything." "You would thought, if it were playing.")
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To: Spktyr
Psst - HPV-types can also be transmitted through simple contact, not just sexual intercourse.

You're wrong about that. Yes, there are many different HPV viruses spread by many means. There are STD-specific HPV viruses though, and they are the ones most likely to cause cancer.

50 posted on 02/02/2007 1:51:18 PM PST by lqclamar
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To: Antoninus

Of course not, but there is a significant number of cervical cancer patients with HPV that weren't sexually active or their monogamous partner doesn't have it.

In several cases, the women with HPV were cloistered nuns.


51 posted on 02/02/2007 1:52:04 PM PST by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Kermit the Frog Does theWatusi
POPULATION CONTROL ALERT
52 posted on 02/02/2007 1:52:30 PM PST by HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity
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To: Antoninus

I don't know all the ways HPV can be transmitted, but vaccines are far more cost-effective than treating the disease it prevents.

It apparently results in a worse, and potentially fatal, outcome for females. What woman wouldn't want the vaccine? Even a virgin until marriage ought to have the protection, if it's only contagious by sex, unless she knows her husband doesn't have the virus.


53 posted on 02/02/2007 1:53:14 PM PST by Dog Gone
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To: ConservaTexan
This is going back quite a few years but as I recall Thalidomide was used extensively in Europe and the UK fortunately for only a short period of time. Its seems the drug relieved morning sickness that can be a problem during the first trimester. Once the birth abnormalities started coming in from all over it was yanked from the market.

Fortunately the drug never got FDA approval in the states because of one woman who sat on the FDA review panel. The pharma company pushed the FDA hard on it but this woman would not budge. She had heard via her professional grapevine of the first defects and physicians in Europe were suspecting the Thalidomide. Thanks to her we were spared the bulk of the Thalidomide tragedy.

There were some cases here. These women had brought the drug back from Europe. As I recall it did not take many doses to cause the defects--a couple of gals only took it 3 or 4 times. That first trimester is the foundation for a healthy baby and the drug interrupted the development resulting in deformed or no limbs.

My daughters are all too old but if I were faced with giving them this vax I would seriously hestitate. The longitudinal studies on this vax have yet to come in. Talk to me in 10 or 15 years once the current group of girls who receive this vax have healthy babies.

Also, this vax does not prevent all forms of cervical cancer. The ads state that pertinent fact in small letters.

54 posted on 02/02/2007 1:54:01 PM PST by Tarheel (If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere... Rudy--2008)
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To: Spktyr
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?

Last time I checked, men weren't getting prostate cancer from STD's on a regular basis. Anatomy isn't the only thing you need to check your knowledge on.

55 posted on 02/02/2007 1:54:44 PM PST by ShadowDancer (Life is not tried, it is merely survived if you're standing outside the fire.)
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To: Dog Gone
That seems a bit harsh.

Perry just called every middle school child in Texas a whore by signing this thing. Affixing the same label to him is entirely appropriate.

56 posted on 02/02/2007 1:54:59 PM PST by lqclamar
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To: lqclamar
In most states I believe it is mandatory for any child who starts school to have current childhood immuinizations.

THAT IS, unless you are an illegal immigrant. Then it's no problemo.

Gov. Perry should focus on seeing to it ALL children are up to date on the shots they are supposed to have...NOT THIS!

sw

57 posted on 02/02/2007 1:55:02 PM PST by spectre (Spectre's wife)
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To: CholeraJoe
This isn't the first anti-cancer vaccine that has been made mandatory. Hepatitis B vaccine prevents liver cancer.

Well, I haven't had it. According to this....

Viral Hepatitis B Fact Sheet

...and my doc, I'm not in a high risk group. So no thanks :)

58 posted on 02/02/2007 1:55:39 PM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: Dog Gone
It apparently results in a worse, and potentially fatal, outcome for females. What woman wouldn't want the vaccine? Even a virgin until marriage ought to have the protection, if it's only contagious by sex, unless she knows her husband doesn't have the virus.

That's fine. It's your opinion. But are you telling me you're comfortable with mandating that EVERY teenage girl must get it? I'm not.
59 posted on 02/02/2007 1:57:10 PM PST by Antoninus ( Who is Duncan Hunter? Find out....www.gohunter08.com)
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To: Antoninus
The main thing wrong here that I see is that they should have made a vaccine for the boys first.

If readers read the whole thing - there is a opt-out. I will be studying it.

60 posted on 02/02/2007 1:57:39 PM PST by daybreakcoming
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