Posted on 09/13/2011 11:03:51 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Gov. Rick Perry's 2007 attempt to require that girls in Texas be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus, commonly known as HPV, has become a political hot potato. But Dr. Ronald DePinho, the new president of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, says the vaccine is not just sound but "one of the great scientific advances in the history of medicine."
In last night's GOP presidential debate, Perry faced repeated criticism from other candidates for his HPV push. Michele Bachmann said it was “flat out wrong” to require that “innocent little 12-year-old girls be forced to have a government injection through an executive order.”
Part of Bachmann's critique was that Perry's executive order, which he now says he would handle differently, was the byproduct of cronyism. Perry's former chief of staff, Mike Toomey was a lobbyist for the drug company Merck, maker of the vaccine, at the time. In interviews following the debate, Bachmann reportedly went even further, suggesting that the vaccine was a ""a very dangerous drug" and could cause "mental retardation."
But today, in an interview with the Tribune, DePinho said that as a physician, as the president of a leading cancer research institution and as a father of two young girls, "there's only one path here, which is to support vaccination."
"To do anything else would be unethical," DePinho said.
His recommendation for anyone who opposes the vaccine: "Visit one patient with cervical cancer in an advanced state."
Why do you always have to overstate your case? Gardasil was tested and approved by the FDA before this. The mandate was a bad way to go, but to make untrue statements like that does not help your credibility.
Actually, that honor goes to a number of the Palin supporters here.
Bachmann’s demagoguery of this issue last night was irresponsible.
Just found it all to be disgraceful. I listened to Rush today. He pointed out Bachmann has made a serious charge of near criminality against Perry.
She has jumped the shark in her desperation to be relevant.
Palin piled on with Greta too-either prove Perry was on the take or shut the hell up.
It might be “unethical” for parents to choose not to vaccinate their girls against HPV. But it is just as unethcial, if not more so, for someone to demand that government tell me how to raise my child.
Actually, the true honor of obnoxiousness has to go to freeper Texans. Always right, always righteous, always boring.
http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/UCM094042
Rick Perry isn’t presidential material, but you’re wrong.
Based on the review of available information by FDA and CDC, Gardasil continues to be safe and effective, and its benefits continue to outweigh its risks…Based on ongoing assessments of vaccine safety information, FDA and CDC continue to find that Gardasil is a safe and effective vaccine.
How many sixth grade chaste girls had Gardasil
been tested on (and for how many years)
when RINO Rick MANDATED it? By Gore.
Give the number.
Or have the RINO Perry resign.
I don’t have a problem with the Physicians Desk Reference being used as part of the decision making process. That is a good suggestion, but I do want to advise folks that trial studies are nowhere near as reliable as broad spectrum populace exposure.
People may have been able to read up on Gardasil at places like WebMD too. I would also advise people to access Medcape, another fine medical research source. There are ‘free’ apps out there for the iPhone and iPad, and there might be ones other handhelds as well.
When new medications come out, people should consider them to be like the first model of a new car line. A lot of people would be suspect of buying a new car that hadn’t had all the kinks worked out yet. It’s more important when you’re talking about your body, long term health. General medications are problematic enough, especially these days. I would urge far more hesitation when it comes to new vaccines.
As a rule of thumb, I take no medication at all I can survive without. Everything you put in your body has good and bad effects.
While some problems may show up in limited studies, the massive inoculations of the public, is where you’re finally going to see if there are real problems or not.
It wouldn’t have hurt these girls at all, to wait a couple of years to evaluate Gardasil after a large segment of the public had been exposed.
The decision with this vaccine is a tough one. I don’t know any parent that wouldn’t be mortified to know they had told their daughter to take this med, and she had dropped dead, developed severe immune deficiency, or long term rashes and allergic reactions.
You also have to take a look at the percentage of women who actually contract serious problems from the things Gardasil actually protects against.
Most people would say, only around 20,000 adverse reactions isn’t much when you think about the number of vaccines given. Okay, along the same lines, the numbers of women who actually become afflicted with what Gardasil prevents, may be very small compared to the complete female populace at large too.
There are a number of ways to look at all this.
Assuming they would go for a like-minded guy, then there would be no need for a Gardasil vaccine. :)
Yup, that's right, Sarah took Federal funds for Alaska when offered and never contemplated using 12 year old girls for statewide medical experimentation to make billions for Merck. They've known since 2007 that this drug has a high incidence of side effects and they theorize, but have no proof whatsoever that it cures cancer, at all.
Perry and his acolytes seem oblivious to the danger of the vaccine he promoted...in 2007 when warnings about Gardasil emerged Perry was more concerned about becoming a multimillionaire through his "lucky investments" ...he should make his campaign on his history of being a financial genius rather than promoting experimental medical procedures.
Kinda curious though, he could barely afford to even buy a house in Texas until after he became Governor...and then he displayed a genius for obscure real estate investments with a rate of return that would make Warren Buffet's jaw drop. Curiouser and Curiouser!
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/cancer-vaccines
The FDA has approved Gardasil for use in females for the prevention of cervical cancer, and some vulvar and vaginal cancers, caused by HPV types 16 and 18, and for use in males and females for the prevention of anal cancer and precancerous anal lesions caused by HPV types 16 and 18. Gardasil is also approved for the prevention of genital warts caused by HPV types 6 and 11. The vaccine is approved for these uses in females and males ages 9 to 26.
Except that the ten year old girls who were going to be forced to take this medication, had no say whatsoever in whether they would get the vaccination or not.
Opt in with permission of the child would have changed that.
It is also the case, that this WAS NOT a highly communicable air-born or surface contamination type disease.
Good luck. I’ve been trying to get the fact that Gardasil is NOT a “cancer vaccine” across here for a long time. They don’t want to hear it, they prefer to be dishonest.
“Oh good grief.” yourself. With that arrogant attitude by its new President de Pinho it will not long be leading anything. It will fall apart in internal dissents.
So why not leave well enough alone with the "opt in" of taking your child to the doctor for the vaccine? What was the point of the legislation in the first place?
You’re quite the spinner.
The Gardasil vaccine has been proven to prevent cervical cancer.
The point was the hypocrisy of Sarah Palin’s support of Michele Bachmann’s outrageous attack on Gov. Perry, when Alaska has ties to Merck.
If you get Cancer, you might want to BEG M.D. Anderson to take you as a patient.
Noteworthy
MD Anderson is accredited by the Joint Commission, the organization that ensures that patients receive the best and safest health care possible
Our nursing program holds Magnet Nursing Services Recognition status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center
For seven of the past nine years, including 2010, MD Anderson has ranked No. 1 in cancer care in the “America’s Best Hospitals” survey published by U.S. News & World Report
MD Anderson provided $326 million in unsponsored charity care to Texans with cancer in FY10. This figure includes charges for care provided to patients who participate in MD Anderson-sponsored charity care programs or whose treatment was not fully covered by Medicaid.
Well, at least you admit we are always right... :-)
Well, the schools blatantly lie, and simply say it is “required”. I bet most parents don’t know they even have a choice in the matter.
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