Posted on 02/07/2007 8:46:47 AM PST by presidio9
Several key Republicans urged Gov. Rick Perry on Monday to rescind his executive order making Texas the first state to require girls to be vaccinated against the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer.
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."
Three other Republican lawmakers filed bills that would override the mandate, and several others were working on similar legislation.
Perry defended his decision, saying his fellow conservatives were wrong to worry that mandating the vaccine will trample parents' rights and promote premarital sex.
"Providing the HPV vaccine doesn't promote sexual promiscuity any more than providing the Hepatitis B vaccine promotes drug use," Perry said in a statement. "If the medical community developed a vaccine for lung cancer, would the same critics oppose it claiming it would encourage smoking?"
Perry has ordered the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to adopt rules requiring Merck & Co.'s new Gardasil vaccine for girls entering the sixth grade as of September 2008. The vaccine protects girls against strains of the human papillomavirus that cause most cases of cervical cancer.
Texas allows parents to opt out of inoculations by filing an affidavit objecting to the vaccine on religious or philosophical reasons, but critics say the order still interferes with parental rights.
"I don't think the government should ever presume to know better than the parents what to do with children," Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said.
Perry also directed state health authorities to make the vaccine available free to girls ages 9 to 18 who are uninsured or whose insurance does not cover vaccines. And he ordered Medicaid to offer Gardasil to women ages 19 to 21.
Where's the documentation and statistics on side effects from this drug? Apparently, Governor Perry and the State of Texas want to be responsible for any harm created by this forced vaccination. Have they solid proof that this drug has no side effects over the years? I doubt that's possible.
Good for you, Mr. Dewhurt. I assume this admirable philosophy means you're in favor is privatizing the government school system?
Parents can still opt-out, if they want that, or believe that the possible side-effects are too risky. I don't see the problem.
This vaccine has a effective lifespan of six years, so why vaccinate 12 year old girls? I also heard Merck is pushing this because their patent is about to expire.
Abstinence and monogamy have been proven to be 100% effective prevention against transmission of human papillomavirus. Why are liberals so uncomfortable with this concept?
I'm confused. Are you deliberately equating "not mandating" with "denying," or was that just carelessness?
If this is new, how can they be sure it works or that it doesn't have potential side effects? Looks like Merck & Co. has friends in high places that are handing them a whole state worth of girls to be a test study.
This controversy is a tempest in a teapot to make Republicans look even more extreme and unreasonable than The Mainstream Media have already made them look. And, as usual, there are those all to willing to take their bait.
Because Merck has powerful lobbyists.
So it appears.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1764471/posts
First HPV is no big deal. Then every female ever born must be vaccinated under penalty of law.
Sex positive agenda? What sex positive agenda?
Yes, I agree. I suggest you go get an HPV vaccine. Men have at least 50% of the infections.
Quick quiz: is it more conservative to let parents opt in or opt out? Which gives the goernment more power?
HUH???
Perry's order is anything but conservative. It is not conservative for Government to mandate a medical treatment that may or may not even be helpful, that may or may not have significant adverse consequences (we don't know because testing was fast-tracked so there is not nearly enough data on potential side effects or other consequences).
Merck - the very same drug company that has had BIG PROBLEMS with Vioxx and Fosamax - now Perry demands that 11/12 yr olds be forced to get this in school?
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