[newzjunkey]

He should not regret doing it. He acted in the furtherance of the legislature's public health goals by ensuring the widest dissemination of and coverage for the vaccine. This was a failure of procedure, not intent.

Here's some history to enlighten you on how he came to sign the order.

In 2005, the Texas legislature set a priority to eliminate cervical cancer mortality by 2015 (HB 2475). It directed the state health agency to produce a report and deliver it to the governor by the end of 2006. It did so and that report concluded the vaccine Gardasil made the goal attainable. 47 page report (Acrobat PDF)

Perry signed the order in 2007 protecting parental rights with an opt-out clause while ensuring insurance, Medicaid and other programs would cover the expensive vaccine while an opt-in would not.

The vaccine had been tested and approved by the FDA and recommended by the CDC, NiH, American Academy of Pediatrics and others. A few years later its approved uses have expanded to other types of HPV-related cancers and to use in males.

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Note worth quotes from the above documents:

HB 2475 said, "This bill requires the Department of State Health Services to develop a strategic plan to eliminate mortality from cervical cancer by the year 2015…" "The strategic plan must be developed and delivered to the governor and legislature no later than December 31, 2006."

A 47 page report (Acrobat PDF) called "Texas Cervical Cancer Strategic Plan," December 2006, by Texas Department of State Health Services in collaboration with The Texas Cancer Council was delivered.

Page 8, "Executive summary" Armed with this new HPV vaccine, we can achieve the moment when we know our goal — eliminating cervical cancer death and suffering — is in reach.

Page 20, "Access to Care" - "Women must have access to cervical cancer screening to eliminate cervical cancer in Texas. The National Cancer Institute reports that groups of women with high cervical cancer mortality:...

• Tend not to have a usual source of health care, such as a family physician;

• Have low income and education levels;

• Are less likely to participate in regular cancer screenings and receive other preventive

… "Widespread vaccination is a key to reducing cervical cancer incidence in Texas"

[Kartographer]

Let me ask you did Perry issue an Executive Order over a medical procedure that was a non-emergency and not a threat to the over all public health? Yes or No?

Medicine should be between you and your doctor. With the only exception being a communicably diseases which are a danger to the public as a whole. I don’t want the government telling me or mine what care we can, can’t or must have. Maybe you want Obama/Romney care, but I don’t.