Posted by JC on 2/2/2007, 12:56 pm By LIZ AUSTIN PETERSON, Associated Press Writer 27 minutes ago AUSTIN, Texas - Bypassing the Legislature, Republican Gov. Rick Perry signed an order Friday making Texas the first state to require that schoolgirls get vaccinated against the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer. By issuing an executive order, Perry apparently sidesteps opposition in the Legislature from conservatives and parents' rights groups who fear such a requirement would condone premarital sex and interfere with the way parents raise their children. Beginning in September 2008, girls entering the sixth grade — meaning, generally, girls ages 11 and 12 — will have to get Gardasil, Merck & Co.'s new vaccine against strains of the human papillomavirus, or HPV. 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 in announcing the order. "If there are diseases in our society that are going to cost us large amounts of money, it just makes good economic sense, not to mention the health and well-being of these individuals to have those vaccines available," he 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 has several 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. Perry also received $6,000 from Merck's political action committee during his re-election campaign. 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. * Email Story RECOMMEND THIS STORY Recommend It: Average (129 votes) Off the Wires Feature Articles News Stories Opinion & Editorials Health News
Link: Click Here to Read
4.90.44.209
Texas requires cancer vaccine for girls
ADVERTISEMENT
* IM Story
* Printable View
* (What happened to the "Discuss" option?)
4.3 stars
» Recommended Stories
Full Coverage: Cancer
* Texas requires cancer vaccine for girls AP, 27 minutes ago
* Time spent driving may up cancer risk: study Reuters, Thu Feb 1, 4:00 PM ET
* Promising Therapies Are Cutting Cancer Mortality at NPR, Jan 17
* Cancer Rates In Focus at CBS News, Jan 17
* Greek cancer 'cure' sparks frenzy at BBC, Jan 31
* Sunbed cancer risk 'increasing' at BBC, Jan 30
* District's HPV Proposal Tinged With Ugly Assumptions at The Washington Post (reg. req'd), Jan 10
* To pinpoint cancer, look at the genes at USATODAY.com, Dec 12
Message Thread:
« Back to thread