Re: Texas Vaccine Mandate Draws GOP Ire

[Guest guest]

What boggles the mind is that simply making it available by informed consent would end the discourse and would bring this program into conformity with international medical ethics. Through education, parents and their families will be able to make intelligent decisions.

But apparently, that is precisely what they seek to avoid.

Texas Vaccine Mandate Draws GOP Ire

Texas Vaccine Mandate Draws GOP Ire

Email this StoryFeb 5, 8:22 PM (ET)By LIZ AUSTIN PETERSON

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Several key Republicans urged Gov. Rick on Monday to rescind his executive order making Texas the first state to require girls to be vaccinated against the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer.

Lawmakers should have been allowed to hear from doctors, scientists and patients before the state implemented such a sweeping mandate, said state Sen. Jane , chairwoman of the health and human services committee.

"This is not an emergency," said , adding that she plans to ask Attorney General Greg Abbott for an opinion on the legality of 's order. "It needs to be discussed and debated."

Three other Republican lawmakers filed bills that would override the mandate, and several others were working on similar legislation.

defended his decision, saying his fellow conservatives were wrong to worry that mandating the vaccine will trample parents' rights and promote premarital sex.

"Providing the HPV vaccine doesn't promote sexual promiscuity any more than providing the Hepatitis B vaccine promotes drug use," said in a statement. "If the medical community developed a vaccine for lung cancer, would the same critics oppose it claiming it would encourage smoking?"

has ordered the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to adopt rules requiring Merck & Co. (MRK)'s new Gardasil vaccine for girls entering the sixth grade as of September 2008. The vaccine protects girls against strains of the human papillomavirus that cause most cases of cervical cancer.

Texas allows parents to opt out of inoculations by filing an affidavit objecting to the vaccine on religious or philosophical reasons, but critics say the order still interferes with parental rights.

"I don't think the government should ever presume to know better than the parents what to do with children," Republican Lt. Gov. Dewhurst said.

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

[Guest guest]

Bingo.

>

> What boggles the mind is that simply making it available by

informed consent would end the discourse and would bring this

program into conformity with international medical ethics. Through

education, parents and their families will be able to make

intelligent decisions.

>

> But apparently, that is precisely what they seek to avoid.

>

>

>

> Texas Vaccine Mandate Draws GOP Ire

>

>

>

> Texas Vaccine Mandate Draws GOP Ire

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Email this Story

>

> Feb 5, 8:22 PM (ET)

>

> By LIZ AUSTIN PETERSON

>

> AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Several key Republicans urged Gov. Rick

on Monday to rescind his executive order making Texas the

first state to require girls to be vaccinated against the sexually

transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer.

>

> Lawmakers should have been allowed to hear from doctors,

scientists and patients before the state implemented such a sweeping

mandate, said state Sen. Jane , chairwoman of the health and

human services committee.

>

> " This is not an emergency, " said , adding that she plans

to ask Attorney General Greg Abbott for an opinion on the legality

of 's order. " It needs to be discussed and debated. "

>

> Three other Republican lawmakers filed bills that would override

the mandate, and several others were working on similar legislation.

>

> defended his decision, saying his fellow conservatives

were wrong to worry that mandating the vaccine will trample parents'

rights and promote premarital sex.

>

> " Providing the HPV vaccine doesn't promote sexual promiscuity

any more than providing the Hepatitis B vaccine promotes drug use, "

said in a statement. " If the medical community developed a

vaccine for lung cancer, would the same critics oppose it claiming

it would encourage smoking? "

>

> has ordered the Texas Health and Human Services Commission

to adopt rules requiring Merck & Co. (MRK)'s new Gardasil vaccine

for girls entering the sixth grade as of September 2008. The vaccine

protects girls against strains of the human papillomavirus that

cause most cases of cervical cancer.

>

> Texas allows parents to opt out of inoculations by filing an

affidavit objecting to the vaccine on religious or philosophical

reasons, but critics say the order still interferes with parental

rights.

>

> " I don't think the government should ever presume to know better

than the parents what to do with children, " Republican Lt. Gov.

Dewhurst said.

>

> also directed state health authorities to make the vaccine

available free to girls ages 9 to 18 who are uninsured or whose

insurance does not cover vaccines. And he ordered Medicaid to offer

Gardasil to women ages 19 to 21.

>