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.
Prohibiting or mandating by the government is the same in that the government controls what goes into your body. Either way, it is government control.
ROFLMAO!
Thanks for the much needed laugh. :-)
This vaccine guaranties only against certain strains of the virus.
But you also get protected by the herd immunity of others whose vaccinations worked.
Especially considering the number of male homosexuals who get anal cancer that may be related to HPV infection.
And the *government control* part is the issue here. That's what people are objecting to.
"It's a timing problem," Kelley said, without providing more details about her decision to pull the bill.
Merck has been pushing for state laws mandating the vaccine since the federal government approved the drug eight months ago. No state has required the vaccination.
Timing issue. IOW, they're watching to see what the fallout is when one state tries to mandate it.
Funny how so many of the legislators are for it and so much of the general population is against it. I wonder if the lawmakers will *opt out* themselves and who would be giving THEM grief for it.
Could you see the success of the vaccine if it were pushed as an anal cancer preventative vaccine?
Yep. And it's falling pretty fast here in Texas.
Texas Republicans ask Gov. Perry to rescind vaccine mandate
From the article:
Lawmakers should have been allowed to hear from doctors, scientists and patients before the state implemented such a sweeping mandate, said state Sen. Jane Nelson, chairwoman of the health and human services committee.
"This is not an emergency," said Nelson, adding that she plans to ask Attorney General Greg Abbott for an opinion on the legality of Perry's order. "It needs to be discussed and debated."
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You know the old saying?
Beware the toes you step on today, for they may be connected to the backside you have to kiss tomorrow
Even the Chairwoman of the Health and Human Services committee is ticked.
LOL!
No doubt men should respect themselves as well. But the buck truly stops with women. Always has, always will.
When the woman goes in to the ob to get the birth control of her choice for marriage, then she can get whatever vaccine she chooses in case of exposure. Pretty simple, really.
I think Grandma would have done the same thing.
They could make Farah Fawcett the "poster girl".
I saw her picture on that other thread. It just might work.
So if government control is the issue, then you must favor the government ot controlling what you put in your body. So you must be in favor of legalized drugs? I didn't know you were a libertarian.
No, but laws against possession, purchase, sale, and other forms of distribution of drugs are simply that. They say nothing about use.
That is only part of my "issue"... I have a bigger issue with so many vaccines being foisted onto our society with so little knowledge of the damage they can and do, do to our immune systems.
Oh and that is so much better than having a strong immune system to mount it's own defense against disease. /s
Hey, he is getting lots of campaign funds from Merck.. don't want to screw up a good thing.
Yep.. the one who wants to be POTUS. In England they are going to let social services take away kids who are fat (from their parents).
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