What is it About Texan Politicians and Their Lack of Respect for Constitutional Rights?
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 MerckPerry 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.
posted by Montana Fem @ 3:22 PM
4 Comments:
In this instance, I would have to say this republican gov. did a good thing. Is there something wrong with a vaccine for HPV? As a so called feminist, I'm surprised you're not jumping up and down with joy at his decision. The whole notion that we shouldn't let girls get this vaccine at the age it's most effective because it might signal to them it's ok to have sex is about as absurd as saying we won't teach them about safe sex, because then they'll want to have sex. This is essentially a vaccine for cervical cancer Montana Fem. What's not to like about that?
Like all vaccines this is not a magic bullet but you seem to have missed the point altogher. It is NOT OK for our Government to tell us to medicate ourselves not even when they think it is to make our chances of getting cervical cancer decrease. (Dr.s used to tie the tubes of Native Women so that they would stop having children because they too thought it would be "better" for the women and children.) WE determine our own medical treatments, just as all men do. That is my So Called Feminist problem with this issue.
i'll give you that point, but do you feel the same way with all vaccinnes?
I believe everyone should have the right to choose whether or not they get a vaccine,yes.
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