Texas governor orders

[tiredmommy]

STD vaccine for all girls:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16948093...15773?GT1=9033

Texas governor orders STD vaccine for all girls
Decision comes after maker of cervical cancer shot doubled lobbying efforts
AUSTIN, Texas - Bypassing the Legislature altogether, Republican Gov. Rick Perry issued an order Friday making Texas the first state to require that schoolgirls get vaccinated against the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer.

By employing an executive order, Perry sidestepped opposition in the Legislature from conservatives and parents’ rights groups who fear such a requirement would condone premarital sex and interfere with the way Texans raise their children.

Beginning in September 2008, girls entering the sixth grade — meaning, generally, girls ages 11 and 12 — will have to receive Gardasil, Merck & Co.’s new vaccine against strains of the human papillomavirus, or HPV.

Perry also directed state health authorities to make the vaccine available free to girls 9 to 18 who are uninsured or whose insurance does not cover vaccines. In addition, he ordered that Medicaid offer Gardasil to women ages 19 to 21.

Perry, a conservative Christian who opposes abortion 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 from the one that protects children against polio.

“The HPV vaccine provides us with an incredible opportunity to effectively target and prevent cervical cancer,” Perry said.

Merck is bankrolling efforts to pass state laws across the country mandating Gardasil 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.

Perry tied to Merck
Perry has ties to Merck and Women in Government. One of the drug company’s three lobbyists in Texas is Mike Toomey, Perry’s 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.

The governor also received $6,000 from Merck’s political action committee during his re-election campaign.

The order is effective until Perry or a successor changes it, and the Legislature has no authority to repeal it, said Perry spokeswoman Krista Moody. Moody said the Texas Constitution permits the governor, as head of the executive branch, to order other members of the executive branch to adopt rules like this one.

Legislative aides said they are looking for ways around the order for parents who oppose it.

“He’s circumventing the will of the people,” said Dawn Richardson, president of Parents Requesting Open Vaccine Education, a citizens group that fought for the right to opt out of other vaccine requirements. “There are bills filed. There’s no emergency except in the boardrooms of Merck, where this is failing to gain the support that they had expected.”

Opt-out option for parents
Texas allows parents to opt out of inoculations by filing an affidavit objecting to the vaccine on religious or philosophical reasons. Even with such provisions, however, conservative groups say such requirements interfere with parents’ rights to make medical decisions 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.

© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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[Stella Johnson]

I read that today. To be honest, I am disgusted with him. Yes, a vaccine is good. No I don't think it will make my dd sleep around any more than she would have without it BUT this is a very new vaccine. I do not trust it yet.

They have come out with all kinds of strange things that can happen from normal child hood vaccines.

I won't make my child take it. She has enough problems. I'm not potentially adding to them because some pompous @#$$ decided all kids should do it because he made money from the company that makes it.

Steph [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/919Mad.gif[/img]

[totoro]

seems to me there are so many more important things to do than REQUIRE something like this... make it available yes...not required...

I agree Steph... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/919Mad.gif[/img]

[Kathy813]

I actually think it is a good idea. This way the insurance companies will have to cover it which is good since it is a very expensive vaccine.

It will also have to be made available through the health department so those without health insurance can still protect their daughters from cervical cancer.

Since parents can still waive the requirement, it seems like a win/win situation for all.

~Kathy

[Fran]

Wish there was a vaccine for the boys too.
I remember standing in line for sugar cubes with anti polio vaccines. Except people were coming in droves in hope to get this vaccine to prevent the horrid scourge of polio. It wasn't a debate. People clamored for it.

Unfortunately, I don't trust the motives of politicians.

[Stella Johnson]

Rick Perry recieved a sizable contribution from Merck when he ran this last time.

Now, he's going to make them a bunch of money. I hate that man.

Fran,
I have heard they are making one for boys too it just isn't out yet. I'm sure they will have enough money to mass produce it soon since Rick is helping them with the girl version.

steph

[SRL]

I have pretty good insurance and it doesn't cover required vaccines. I foot the whole bill.

[emilyislost]

I think a vaccine to stop cancer is great. I don't think he should've shoved it down peoples throats like this.

[Marguerite]

I'm with Fran - I think the vaccine should be for boys too. After all, it's girls catching it from boys that causes cervical cancer.

Our kids in Australia got this last year. I think, because it was just coming in, that it was also made available to older kids. I think PC2/GFG2 has had it. I'm not sure, I think our boys had it too. We could have refused but we would have needed a strong reason. In general, our vaccinations are mandatory. Only a strong medical reason will get you out of it. A parent refusing on principle- you CAN do it here, but you get penalised by the system and may even have to home-school your child.

It was an Aussie researcher whose team first made the connection between cervical cancer and HPV - I knew her from work, so I've followed the story.

Important to bear in mind - this vaccine only protects against one particular strain of HPV. It won't protect against all, just the most common one. I think they're still working on the other viruses.

So it's still important to have regular Pap smears. Other things can go wrong, too, and the pap test is a good way to pick things up. I reckon every girl who is sleeping with a boy from a young age should take that boy with her to the gynaecological exam, so he can see what she has to do to stay healthy. Males are so squeamish about their own sexual health and women would be a lot better off if males were more responsible.

I just checked with DH - our vaccination program is still happening, they did girls at puberty in schools last year (compulsory, like all our others). They're not doing boys, just the essentials for now. Older girls - they're still doing them but THEY have to front up to their doc for the free shot. PC is just outside the age range, I suspect on the grounds that by her age, most girls have already been exposed to HPV so it's pointless. She can still get it if she chooses, but not for free.

Marg

[kris]

<font color="brown">well i hope our new governor takes a page from the guy in texas &amp; mandates this vaccine.

i don't mind merk making money on this b/c they won't be making money on chemo meds/pain meds, etc. a lot of pain &amp; suffering will be averted due to this vaccine. as a matter of fact i've been talking to sarah about getting started w/this as soon as she has a day off from school &amp; can schedule an appointment. girls will be vaccinated that wouldn't have been.....very possibly saving their lives &amp; tons of grief for their families.

kris </font>