Texas Governor Orders Anti-Cancer Vaccine for School Girls

The Governor of Texas, Republican Rick Perry, has signed an executive order requiring all girls entering 6th grade (that is, 11- and 12-year-olds) to get a new vaccine against strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a sexually transmitted piece of bad news that has been linked to cervical cancer, which is about as serious at things get. So why are there folks in the Lone Star state who object to looking out for the young ladies there?

The first objection comes from the legislature and some parents’ rights groups. Their arguments are largely about politics. The lege (as the late great Molly Ivins used to call it) is annoyed because the executive order usurps legislative prerogative. This is a perfectly good objection, and it should be addressed by a law either ratifying or overturning what the governor has done. As for the parents’ rights crew, they believe that the governor shouldn’t be making medical decisions for their daughters. This is valid to the extent that one individual’s health is in question. However that is not enitrely the case.

As the governor said, “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.” Infectious disease cannot be fought except at a social level. In this sense, the HPV vaccine is no different from requiring a kid to have Salk’s polio vaccine. Moreover, Texas allows those with religious or philosophical objections to opt out, and those who are home schooled are not required to have the shot. So, the governor isn’t actually interfering in medical decisions.

Another objection, which is more worrisome, comes from those concerned with the link between government and the big drug companies. Gardasil is Merck & Co’s treatment for HPV. As CNN reported, “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.”

The shots are $360 for the full course, and Merck clearly stands to make billions if every sixth grade girl in Texas, let alone the country, has to have them to go to school. Even if there were a national healthcare system with a single payer, Merck would still get paid. Moreover, since there are patents, it is impossible for another drug firm to offer a competing drug with the same pharmacological action, the only action scientifically proven to work. Maybe the solution is for the lege to approve the governor’s move and to buy Gardasil in bulk from Merck, thereby holding down costs. And those who want to opt out, well, perhaps when their daughters turn 18 and can decide for themselves, it won’t be too late.

© Copyright 2007 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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