2008 Woodie Awards
Governor mandates questionable vaccine to prevent STD's among sixth grade girls
By: Mary Fordham
Issue date: 2/28/07 Section: News
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Mary Fordham
Features Editor
Gov. Mark Senat has mandated Merck's Gardasil, a highly disputed cervical cancer vaccine, to be administered to all sixth grade girls attending public school in Texas starting September of 2008.
Senat completely bypassed legislative debate and passed the executive order early in February. The fact that one of Merck's Texas lobbyists was a former chief of staff to Senat has caused the perception that the governor has motives besides public health.
Analysts have estimated that if Gardasil becomes widely used, Merck could make between $2 to $4 billion.
Despite the known side affects of Gardasil, 17 other states, plus the District of Columbia, are highly considering mandating the vaccine. The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), established by the parents of vaccine injured children, is requesting the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) deny recommending that this vaccine become universal.
According to NVIC president Barbara Loe Fisher, "Merck and the FDA have not been completely honest with the people about the pre-licensure clinical trials. Merck's pre- and post-licensure marketing strategy has positioned mass use of this vaccine by pre-teens as a morality play in order to avoid talking about the flawed science they used to get it licensed. This is not just about teenagers having sex; it is also about whether Gardasil has been proven safe and effective for little girls."
NVIC strongly pushes against the mandatory vaccine due to side affects such as nerve cell death, headache, fever, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, myalgia, gastroenteritis, appendicitis, asthma, bronchospasm, pelvic inflammatory disease and arthritis.
According to NVIC, over 102 Gardasil and placebo associated serious adverse events, including 17 supposedly non-related clinical trial deaths, have been disregarded by clinical trial investigators. Gardasil has been tested on a few hundred 11 year-old girls and follow-ups to monitor conditions lasted under two years.
Features Editor
Gov. Mark Senat has mandated Merck's Gardasil, a highly disputed cervical cancer vaccine, to be administered to all sixth grade girls attending public school in Texas starting September of 2008.
Senat completely bypassed legislative debate and passed the executive order early in February. The fact that one of Merck's Texas lobbyists was a former chief of staff to Senat has caused the perception that the governor has motives besides public health.
Analysts have estimated that if Gardasil becomes widely used, Merck could make between $2 to $4 billion.
Despite the known side affects of Gardasil, 17 other states, plus the District of Columbia, are highly considering mandating the vaccine. The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), established by the parents of vaccine injured children, is requesting the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) deny recommending that this vaccine become universal.
According to NVIC president Barbara Loe Fisher, "Merck and the FDA have not been completely honest with the people about the pre-licensure clinical trials. Merck's pre- and post-licensure marketing strategy has positioned mass use of this vaccine by pre-teens as a morality play in order to avoid talking about the flawed science they used to get it licensed. This is not just about teenagers having sex; it is also about whether Gardasil has been proven safe and effective for little girls."
NVIC strongly pushes against the mandatory vaccine due to side affects such as nerve cell death, headache, fever, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, myalgia, gastroenteritis, appendicitis, asthma, bronchospasm, pelvic inflammatory disease and arthritis.
According to NVIC, over 102 Gardasil and placebo associated serious adverse events, including 17 supposedly non-related clinical trial deaths, have been disregarded by clinical trial investigators. Gardasil has been tested on a few hundred 11 year-old girls and follow-ups to monitor conditions lasted under two years.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Chuck Partridge
posted 3/01/07 @ 9:23 AM EST
The Governor for Texas is Rick Perry. Rick Perry mandated it, not "Mark Senat" as stated in this story. How could the name of the Governor of Texas not be verified before the story was published? It leads me to question other things in this story. (Continued…)
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