Lobbying Kills Mandatory Cancer Vaccine

Religious Conservatives Derail Attempts To Make Cervical Cancer Vaccine Required For Preteen Girls

(AP)  For a time, Georgia was poised become the latest state to require preteen girls to be vaccinated against a virus that causes cervical cancer.

A powerful state Republican lawmaker proposed making the vaccine mandatory for girls entering sixth grade, and the governor included $4.3 million in his budget to make it available to some 13,000 girls whose family's insurance policies wouldn't cover it.

But state lawmakers nixed the plans after aggressive lobbying by religious conservatives, who argued that vaccinating young girls could promote promiscuity. The human papillomavirus that causes cervical cancer is transmitted through sexual contact.

Similar proposals were introduced in 23 other states and the District of Columbia, but only Virginia has signed such a mandate into law.

Proposals in many states died or were watered down to only provide parents with educational materials instead of requiring the vaccine. In Texas, Gov. Rick Perry signed an executive order requiring vaccinations for sixth-grade girls, but the Legislature then passed a bill blocking the order.

Over the past several months, a vaccine that once was hailed as a breakthrough to prevent cancer deaths has become embroiled in some of the nation's most politically-charged issues: teen sex, parental control, state mandates, a backlash against vaccines, and a suspicion of drug companies.

"It encapsulates so many issues that are at the core of politics and health policy right now," said Alina Salganicoff, director of women's health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The vaccine Gardasil was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in June 2006. The federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices followed with a recommendation that all girls be vaccinated at age 11 or 12. The three-dose treatment costs $360.

Cervical cancer kills 10 women a day in the U.S. and one in four U.S. women ages 14 to 59 is infected with HPV, according to a recent report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While Gardasil is not a magic bullet, it protects against the strains of HPV that cause 70 percent of cervical cancers cases.

With the vaccine potentially saving many lives, cervical cancer survivor Lori Grice said, she was "completely dumbfounded" that it had become fodder for the culture wars.

"If this were a vaccine for prostate cancer they would have to call in the National Guard to keep the men from storming the place," said Grice, of Statesboro, Ga.

Grice said she plans to have her 6-year-old daughter vaccinated when she's old enough. She said her daughter can "make every right choice," avoiding IV drug use and premarital sex, "but she can marry someone who's a carrier of HPV, develop cervical cancer and die."

The sponsor of the Georgia bill, state Sen. Don Balfour, has said it is a great thing for the health of women in the state.

"It's good for your daughters," he said in a February hearing.

Others saw the vaccine mandate proposals differently.

The religious conservatives did not want the government to mandate a vaccine for "something that is only contracted through sexual activity," said Sadie Fields, executive director of the Georgia Christian Alliance.

Some parents insist that they should decide when their preteen daughter should be offered a vaccine that involved a discussion about sex.

Moira Gaul, director of women's and reproductive health at the conservative Family Research Council, said her group doesn't oppose the vaccine, but doesn't want it required.

"We think parents ought to be given a choice about what is best for their children," she said.

Others were turned off by what they saw as heavy-handed lobbying by the drug's maker, Merck and Co. Critics saw a drug company trying to get rich.

And there were worries that not enough was known about the drug's long-term health effects. As ammunition, critics pointed to Merck's recall of its popular arthritis drug Vioxx because of increased heart risks. Merck has since said it will not lobby states for mandate bills.

Others argue politics is winning out over public health.

"It's really a shame that politics and ideology are getting in the way of saving lives," said Cantu Hinojosa, assistant director of government relations for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Hinojosa noted that the mandate bills — including the new law in Virginia — have opt-out provisions for parents who don't want their daughters vaccinated.

Still, Hinojosa said five states — Indiana, New York, North Dakota, Utah and Washington — have agreed to fund public education campaigns, which she said is a positive first step.

[godofredo29]

Duhrer just confirms why I cited a non-U.S. in my posting. In case people don't know, HPV is responsible for both cervical cancer AND penile cancer, not to mention anal cancer and genital warts. The mystery remains why Merck chose to stagger its testing so that men won't recieve an on-label okay to use the vaccine until 2008 at the earliest. In some Third World countries, penile cancer is the most common form of cancer in men. But, does anybody care? No. I tell you what you do: go to GOOGLE images and type in the phrase "penile cancer" in quotation marks (make sure you choose the no filter option in the preferences) and see what you think.

[weareone2]

This is typical Georgia. Remember, this is the state where a few months ago, a man was released after more than 20 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, and 2 or 3 days later, a bill was introduced in the the Georgia legislature to reduce the number of jurors needed to sentence someone to death.
My theory is that Georgian's have brain damage from air pollution!

[duhrer]

Just wondering how fast men would line up for a vaccine that won't do anything for them directly, but would prevent them from transferring HPV to women. Mass vaccines in this day and age, created and distributed by today's pharm companies are all suspect.

[godofredo29]

Anybody who follows the BBC World News already knows that men are getting the vaccine in droves, especially gay men. And, there paying the full price to get it. If you're a guy and you don't want penile cancer, anal cancer, genital warts, and, even if you're older but, say, recently divorced or widowed, or, if in some other way you can be pretty sure your exposure to HPV has been minimal, then go for it. Eventually the FDA will catch up and approve it for on-label use.

The title of the article is typical CBS double-speak. It's not a "cancer" vaccine, it's a vaccine against HPV. As a father of 2 daughters I would have no problem getting them the vaccine whatsoever. I do have a problem with it being mandated by the state. The cost of $360.00 is going to be born either by the parents or the tax payers. A small price to pay if it keeps my children healthy. Since Merck produced it I am sure it's just as safe as their FDA approved Vioxx product.

I want to see more information on long term side side effects before I commit to another vaccine.

Oh and barbaraf4, yes girls get it from boys, and boys get it from girls. You point is what? Mandatory genital mutilation?

[ecuadoriana]

Doesn't it seem like Ritilin & other anti depressants are routinely dispensed as a way to control kids (basically because most parents are too busy multi-tasking with their TV remotes in one hand & their cell phones in the other to bother raising their kids properly)? It seems like it was just about mandatory to put your kid on some drug to control their behaviour & the outcome of that behaviour. Now here comes the big drug companie$ promoting yet another drug aimed at kids & their behaviour.

Just like people have started coming around to the fact that all this Ritalin, et al, isn't actually healthy for kids' bodies & brains, it will be only a matter of time when it's discovered that this vaccine will have serious side effects.

Now there's a pill to keep women from getting their periods- developed by men, who hate being inconvenienced by their wives & girlfriend's cycles, & by women who have been convinced, by the influence of men, that their lives will be fuller & more exciting (read: more s*xu*ly active).

A vaccine to combat the results of all that extra activity.

So then parents will want a vaccine to lower their kids' libid* to keep them from being typical teenage horndogs?

Then what???

What happened to "just say 'no'"?

[extremophil]

All Hail Satan. He's won again.

[drinuk]

This vaccine is yet another in the long line of scams from Big Pharma. Since when did infections of any variety enter the body directly into the blood stream ? All vaccines pumped into our bodies via the needle should be seriously considered as being suspect. Why is it that now in the 21st century we do not have a totally independent FDA, an organisation capable of conducting honest genuine studies into Big Pharma's proposed "Cures". Instead our government takes their word for it and a few "Back Handers" and low and behold, it's the best thing since sliced bread. Even after folks Die they continue to advocate these Quack Poisons. Health is the single most important factor in our lives, it is time industrial crime commited by Big Pharma was stopped in it's tracks. ANY political donations made whatsoever by Big Pharma should result in a 99 year gaol sentence for the giver and reciever.

[p_shalimar]

IMO God gave humans brains and He expects us to use them. The human papillomavirus (HPV) is often without symptoms in both men and women. Approximately 20 million people in the U.S. are currently infected with HPV. Remember these people include child molesters and rapists. It can come from one sexual contact at any point in life whether that contact is from drunken ***, the first time, wedding night where one person has had *** before marriage, rape, incest, etc.
What amazes me is the people who are opposing this are supposed to be Christians. One of the fundamentals about Christianity is the idea of redemption. Death ends any chance at redemption.
But it is not just the immoral girls/women who will die from their parents%u2019 ignorance. The little girl raised by loving Christian parents who is sexually molested by %u201CUncle Bernie%u201D can someday pay for it with her life because her ignorant parents failed to get her vaccinated.
I guess it is just a matter of how much parents are willing to gamble on their child%u2019s life.

[seven-pesos]

the south now beats wisconsin as cheese capitol of america.

they're harvesting all that cheese from those fat azzed dixie women.

grab yourself one of those obese southern mamas,

lift up that fat ol' tittie and scrape yourself a handful of that dixie cheese.

hmmmm...foul, but aromatic.

don't forget the saltines!

ha,ha,ha.

war, hate, arrogance, ignorance, phony christian creeps, crooked republican snakes...

nothing good comes out of the south!

[tucano2]

Our objection to Merck's vaccine has nothing to do with anything beyond the fact Merck's vaccines have consistently been proved unsafe in any dose, and therefore if it is made and/or distributed by Merck it is likely faulty and maybe a killer throughout generations. There is nothing "safe" about anything that requires FDA approval. The FDA has consistently been proved to be nothing more than a handmaiden to bigpharma. FDA approval has nothing to do with good medicine; it has everything to do with profits both on the bottom line and in the lining of the pockets of those involved.

[barbaraf4]

Why aren't we making circumcision and vaccination mandatory for boys starting the 6th grade? Afterall, the girls contract this virus from the boys.

[teparks]

Clearly many people want to make mandatory choices for others. Hitler's Third Reich and the Soviet Union offer good examples of the results of governments that think they can parent better than the parents. Though I presume well-meaning, these proposals to remove parenting from parents would greatly damage our society. Luckily, we still have a semblance of democracy, and these proposed laws are failing.

[tom_gwynn]

As usual, the fundies are making choices based on ignorance. HPV is often symptomless in men. It can be your daughter's god-given *husband* that has it, and doesn't even know he has it.

As for possible long-term effects, this is not some strange new drug. It is a vaccine that works exactly like every other vaccine that your kid gets; you know, the ones for polio, rubella, measels, chickenpox, diptheria, pertussus, tetanus... the ones that have made childhood safe, rather than a time when half your children die before the age of seven.

And jankebenz, if you really think muslim customs make women safer, you can start wearing your burka any time. Maybe you could have your husband legally beat you, take three more wives and kick you out on the street with nothing (even your kids) just by saying "I divorce you" in front of witnesses. I think you'll see the "benefits" then.


jankebenz

[shanev137]

As usual..."good" fundy christers are more concerned about what kind of message this would "look like" to kids, rather than the issue about our government talking control over our lives and forcing us to inject our child with something that hasn't even been thoroughly tested yet for long term side effects.

It's typical really.

[janetp1974]

I would not give my daughter this vaccine at this point. We need to see what the long-term effects are going to be before whole-sale vaccination takes place. Remember that "wonder drug" DST? It wasn't the mothers who suffered from that, it was the daughters, 18-20+ years later. And I do know the risks of the cancer -- my mother died of cervical cancer only 3 1/2 months ago.

[bm6005]

Look at it this way. If the conservatives don't get the vaccine then more conservatives will die from cervical cancer, hopefully before they have too many little conservatives. Let's face facts, they always out breed liberals. This just let's us even up the poulation a bit between thinking people and the others. And staycalm, I just read your post and I can't believe your ignorance. Cervical Cancer has nothing to do with number of *** partners. Tell me the truth now. You're a southern, christian, MORON aren't you?

[susanhelit]

Cervical cancer is not caused by promiscuous *** - one instance, one wrong choice, one rape, one exposure to a child molester, and there you go.

Your daughter doesn't need to be 'the kind of girl' who needs this - she could merely be so unlucky as to come upon a rapist. Although, what kind of message does it send that you'd rather see her get cancer, than make one mistake and have ***? Better dead than to ever make a mistake, or defy you and have ***? What kind of statement is that?

[billpl-2009]

For those of you who are against...Starting practicing your explanation to your grandchildren if someday they were lose their mother because you were more worried that she was going to get LAID as a teenager than ALIVE as a mother.

[jankebenz]

Religious nuts and idiots? words more suited for those who think we can continue to ignore bibical morality and law without consequences. Its a fact that sexual immorality comes with a host of std,s that will get you sooner or later,including aids and cervical cancer. Abstinance,is the best prevention, but western culture pushes and promotes *** and promiscuity,everywhere you look. Is it any wonder that there's so many problems and diseases as a result. Maybe Islamic regulation to cover women is not as backward as we think, it has its benefits.