[PROVE] Merck suspends lobbying for cervical cancer vaccine mandate

[Guest guest]

Posted on Tue, Feb. 20, 2007

Merck suspends lobbying for cervical cancer vaccine mandate

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/business/16742292.htm

LINDA A. JOHNSON

Associated Press

TRENTON, N.J. - Merck & Co., bowing to pressure from parents and medical

groups, is immediately suspending its lobbying campaign to persuade state

legislatures to mandate that adolescent girls get the company's new vaccine

against cervical cancer as a requirement for school attendance.

The drug maker, which announced the change late Tuesday, had been

criticized by parents and doctors' groups for quietly funding the campaign,

via a third party, to require 11- and 12-year-old girls get the three-dose

vaccine in order to attend school.

Some had objected because the vaccine protects against a sexually

transmitted disease, human papilloma virus, which causes cervical cancer.

Vaccines mandated for school attendance usually are for diseases easily

spread through casual contact, such as measles and mumps.

" Our goal is about cervical cancer prevention and we want to reach as many

females as possible with Gardasil, " Dr. M. Haupt, Merck's medical

director for vaccines, told The Associated Press.

" We're concerned that our role in supporting school requirements is a

distraction from that goal, and as such have suspended our lobbying

efforts, " Haupt said, adding the company will continue providing

information about the vaccine if requested by government officials.

Merck launched Gardasil, the first vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, in

June.

Sales totaled $235 million through the end of 2006, according to Merck.

Last month, the AP reported that Merck was channeling money for its

state-mandate campaign through Women in Government, an advocacy group made

up of female state legislators across the country.

Conservative groups opposed the campaign, saying it would encourage

premarital sex, and parents' rights groups said it interfered with their

control over their children.

Even two of the prominent medical groups that supported broad use of the

vaccine, the American Academy of Pediatricians and the American Academy of

Family Practitioners, questioned Merck's timing, Haupt said Tuesday.

" They, along with some other folks in the public health community, believe

there needs to be more time, " he said, to ensure government funding for the

vaccine for uninsured girls is in place and that families and government

officials have enough information about it.

Legislatures in roughly 20 states have introduced measures that would

mandate girls have the vaccine to attend school, but none has passed so

far. However, Texas Gov. Rick on Feb. 2 issued an executive order

requiring that schoolgirls get the vaccinations, triggering protests from

lawmakers in that state, who may seek to pass a law of overturning the order.

A group of parents worried that vaccines harm some children, the National

Vaccine Information Center, has been publicizing reports of side effects -

mostly dizziness and fainting - in several dozen people getting Gardasil,

which is approved for use in females ages 9 to 26. The group questions

whether it was tested in enough young girls.

Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, say

that reports of side effects through the end of January show don't raise

any red flags.

The vaccine also is controversial because of its price - $360 for the three

doses required over a six-month stretch. Because of that cost and what

pediatricians and gynecologists say is inadequate reimbursement by

insurers, many are choosing not to stock the vaccine or requiring

surcharges to administer it, increasing the cost for many families and

making the vaccine hard to come by.

Merck shares were down in after-hours trading on the New York Stock

Exchange, falling 35 cents to $44.15 after rising 22 cents in regular

trading to close at $44.50.

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Dawn

PROVE(Parents Requesting Open Vaccine Education)

prove@... (email)

http://vaccineinfo.net/ (web site)

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PROVE provides information on vaccines, and immunization policies and

practices that affect the children and adults of Texas. Our mission is to

prevent vaccine injury and death and to promote and protect the right of

every person to make informed independent vaccination decisions for

themselves and their family.

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Sheri Nakken, R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

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