No apologies: Bachmann defends HPV remarks

CBS "News" ^ | 15 Sep 2011 | Sarah Huisenga

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

Michele Bachmann is on the defensive about comments she made earlier this week suggesting that a vaccine against a virus linked to cervical cancer poses a danger to young girls.

"During the debate, I didn't make any statements that would indicate that I'm a doctor, I'm a scientist or that I'm making any conclusions about the drug one way or another," the GOP presidential hopeful told reporters here who questioned her about the story she told suggesting that the vaccine had caused mental retardation. Asked whether she would apologize for comments that outraged medical experts say will discourage parents from getting their children immunized, Bachmann said: "Oh, I'm not going to answer that."

During the Republican debate Bachmann attacked her rival Rick Perry for mandating vaccinations against the human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) for Texas school girls - a decision that the Texas legislature later overruled.

"To have innocent little 12-year-old girls be forced to have a government injection through an executive order is just flat out wrong," she said during the debate.

After the debate, Bachmann took her critique a step further, describing in several television interviews how a tearful mother had approached her after the debate saying that her daughter "suffered mental retardation" as a result of the vaccine.

[driftdiver]

Yes he will, since I don’t expect him to answer the questions he’s been asked. Like why is he so intent on posting stories such as this?

[ReignOfError]

Merck doesn’t say they were caused by the vaccines, just that they have been reported following the vaccine:

And yet your post began with "it can cause," a conclusion not supported by available evidence.

[muawiyah]

BTW, the issue is really about Perry's Executive Order. Turns out we should be more concerned with the Public Health agency that was asked to DRAFT REGULATIONS, and not be so concerned with what Perry thought he was doing.

His wordsmith shot him right in the foot on this one.

A few minutes research revealed there are two documents ~ neither one of which is readily on the net ~ but Perry didn't actually do what he thought he'd done (apply universality to the situation) nor did the downstream agency pay much attention to what he asked. They did something else ~ the legislature, in turn, followed suit and outlawed it, whatever it was.

Perry's supporters at the time argued that he could direct state agencies to do whatever he wanted 'cause he was the Governor, and the legislature had no authority over those agencies.

AMAZING STUFF ~ which means the supporters have been brain dead political syncophants for much longer than I imagined ~ actually, I thought they saved this stuff up just for elections but they were ready to fire with all barrels and a truck load of fertilizer mixed with motor oil ON a minor Executive Order.

[muawiyah]

The statement was a bit broader than you read. You have to give up your advocacy and take a look carefully at what the lady said ~ not what you believe that she said.

All vaccinations that require the use of a needle CAN do all sorts of nasty things ~ particularly to people who've suffered previous harm.

There's simply no dispute on the matter!

[traderrob6]

The story basically states that she’s doubling down by sticking by a goofy statement.

I can’t help but agree that it’s a wrongheaded approach.

[Boogieman]

“Why — ladies and gentlemen, why do we inoculate people with vaccines in public schools? Because we’re afraid of those diseases being communicable between people at school.”

How is Hepatitis B transmitted at school?

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

Yes he will, since I don’t expect him to answer the questions he’s been asked. Like why is he so intent on posting stories such as this?

Not exactly sure what you mean, DD, since a search of the articles I've posted recently shows a whole *two* articles having anything to do with Gardasil, etc. among a list dating all the way back to June.

[mazz44]

Hucksters? What do you call the FDA? What about other quasi-government agencies. The agency that try to justify regulations that slow rob us of our freedoms. They use government funded research, with questionable associations involved.

There are over 250,000 adverse reactions to pharmaceuticals each year and less than 100 with dietary supplements. Yet, they are trying to confiscate dietary supplements and our access to them. What are they afraid of? Could it be that their market share is being threatened? C’mon, wake up! America!

http://www.whale.to/a/blaylock.html

[Polybius]

The HPV is not communicable other than by having sex, and as such, doesn't seem to present as much of an acute health risk, which makes it even less justifiable for forcible vaccination in my mind.

"HPV is not communicable other than by having sex..."?

Unfortunately, that is not the case:

The most common way of HPV transmission is by skin contact. Touching an infected skin or someone and subsequently touching one’s genitals without washing ones hands is the most common way of transmission of these viruses. Sexual contact can also spread the HPV transmission. It is however not the only way as assumed by some people. ..... It is quite possible for the virus to be transmitted by shaking of hands though. This is essentially so because of the skin transmission. This presents quite a challenge in combating its spread now that it is difficult to avoid handshakes.

The ease of transmission makes the virus very widespread throughout the population. ... research from the US and Europe which has shown that 10% to 40% of sexually active women are infected by HPV at any one time. The sexual revolution has made it much more widespread than in was in more sexually conservative eras.

Now, think about how HPV can enter into a family unit. Even if your daughter stays a virgin until the wedding night, chances are that the groom will not be a virgin and chances are that he had his first sexual contact with one of the wilder girls in high school.

So, the HPV is passed from the wilder high school girl to the high school boy that will later become the future groom of your daughter and the father of your grandchildren.

And who will be helping to change your grandkid's diapers?

Your HPV infected son-in-law.

HPV protection of the family is not just about the sexual conduct of your own daughter during her teenaged years. It also deals with that other girl that your daughter thought was a tramp in high school.

If the little tramp got a course of Gardasil before she lost her virginity at age 14, that can ultimately affect the health of the future family of your own daughter.

[luckystarmom]

I corrected myself.

Unfortunately, the report didn’t say that the vaccine did not cause the seizures either.

[magritte]

I agree on that. The addition of new vaccines to the standard group (polio, measles, etc) can be controversial, often for political reasons, so it can be a difficult call. I understand Perry’s reasoning on this, although I think his EO was the wrong way to go about it.

[MEGoody]

It's drawn from the fact that she claimed on national television that Gardasil causes mental retardation

First, let me correct you. She stated a woman had told her that her daughter had become mentally retarded because of the Guardasil vaccine. So are you calling the woman who told her that a liar, or are you calling Bachmann a liar for claiming a woman told her that? Whichever your position, what is your evidence?

And her claim that some woman told her this happened does not lend itself to what you claimed Bachmann's position of medical science as a whole would be.

Let me ask you. . .does silly claims about Republican candidates such as you have made lend itself to conservative success in 2012?

[beandog]

That’s what really bothers me. Cong. Bachmann never claimed that Gardasil caused mental retardation, yet people around here are willing to continue to repeat that lie.

I think her point was she believed this vaccine should be looked into further before requiring young children to receive it.

If your repeat a lie long enough, it’ll be believed.

[Williams]

“Some people think that a teen who has pre-marital sex should die from cancer and/or other STD’s for her sins.”

I know you know this, but she also is likely to get the virus from her husband even if she stayed a virgin for life.

[Cboldt]

-- and he didn't deliver on his commitment to make Gardasil mandatory? --

Well, not for want of trying.

-- At some point you conspiracy theorists are going to have to list all of the campaign contributions Perry received from Merck and then show us the quid pro quo. --

I said before, it isn't necessarily about the money. At any rate, appearance counts too, even without any proof. Bush's nomination of Miers, who was not the best nominee available for SCOTUS, was based on cronyism too, and there is no financial quid pro quo.

[mazz44]

I thought that this would be helpful to you or anyone else to help make a truly informed decision on what to believe or not to believe, regarding health matters, the FDA, the CDC and vaccinations.

http://www.mercolaquack.com/

[Cboldt]

-- Maybe you missed Michelle Bachmann's comments during the debate along with the many folks on this thread who support her bad craziness. --

Probably not. But, maybe you can show me where she said "he was bribed" or something similar. She laid out the facts, and mostly asserted her position was to not mandate HPV, in deference to parents making the decision for a vaccine that prevents a risk of death in a small fraction of the infected population.

-- Don't you think that anyone making such a charge should be able to back up their charge with facts? --

The facts are what they are. Perry doesn't deny them (for the sake of discussion, attributing his "not for $5,000" remark to error). People will infer what they will from his ex chief of staff being a lobbyist for Merck, his otherwise friendly relationship with Merck, and his decision to issue an EO mandating vaccination against HPV. "Yeah, but it's legal" will persuade some, but not all.

[D-fendr]

I don’t think Mercola is quack. I think he’s an excellent marketer with an over-hyped, overpriced product. :)

I just wouldn’t look to Mercola or the D.O. at your link for my reliable information on this topic.

thanks for your post.

[Mase]

You questioned another poster’s assertion that Perry had received more money from Merck than $5k (you said $6k but RINO Rick had previously admitted to only $5k).

In the context of Perry's remarks, this money was alleged to come from his decision to mandate the Gardasil vaccine. That decision was in 2007. The $5,000 (or $6,000 if $1,000 is significant) was donated to his campaign after that decision. Bachmann's assertion was that this money was given to Perry as a pay off for his decision to mandate the use of Gardasil. It is reasonable to assume that this was the time frame from which we were dealing. Now, it appears you want to include all contributions from 2001 forward. I wish you guys would make up your minds and stop moving the goal posts to support your desired conclusion. The fact is, anyone who thinks Perry mandated Gardasil for a $5,000 (or $6,000) in donations since 2007, or for a whopping $23,500 in donations from 2001 - 2006, isn't thinking clearly. And that's the bottom line here, isn't it South40? I can only assume that the Perry Derangement Syndrome is responsible for any inability on your part to see the obvious.

But that he has lied about the amount speaks volumes.

He's lied about nothing with respect to this issue. The only people lying about it are head cases like Bachmann and people here who suffer from PDS.

You, of course, are free to draw your own conclusions as is any Mitt Perry supporter.

Mitt Perry? Is that all you have to offer in the way of wit? If so, that's pretty lame.

But you questioned the veracity of the original poster’s claim and I provided you with multiple links that prove Perry did in fact receive more money from Merck.

The original poster's claim was in the context that there was a quid pro quo involved in Perry taking money from Merck and his decision involving Gardasil. Also, why would anyone suggest in the first place that Merck gave money to Perry in return for his decision when that money came after he decided not to mandate the use of Gardasil? Beyond that, how could anyone believe that a measly $28,500 (relative to the more than $50 million he raised over the past decade) is going to drive a politician like Perry to mandate a vaccine? Some folks are capable of suspending all common sense and will believe just about anything. Unfortunately for you, I'm not one of them. This is all being ginned up by the Perry haters to promote some alternative. It doesn't matter what the alternative is because any credibility you may have had prior to making such a vapid argument has now left the building.

You can discount one or all sources but you cannot deny Perry lied about the amount (the basis for your original objection) because, unfortunately for you, the Perry campaign has now admitted to it.

BS. You guys chose to move the goal posts so you could claim that you caught Perry in a lie. Creating a lie to claim he lied. Nice. You're looking up at the gutter with the mainstream media and, to a certain extent, Bachmann. Like I said before, there are issues to be concerned about with Perry. This ain't one of them and fabricating reality to fit your needs doesn't make your side look good.

[Mase]

I didn't realize that about Bachmann. If she admits that this was a mistake, how can we vote for her when she says presidents are not allowed to make mistakes?

Perry doesn't attack Bachmann because she isn't the competition. She's like a small dog that won't let go of the cuff of your pants. She's annoying, but not of any real importance. When your adversaries are busy beating themselves, it is best not to interrupt them.