Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]



This is an archived forum, so it is here for read-only purposes only. We are not accepting new members and members cannot post any longer. Members can, however, access their old private messages. Strawberry Fields was open from 2006 until 2011. There is a Strawberry Fields Beatles Forum on Facebook. If you are registered with Facebook, join us at the group there!

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Are you FOR or AGAINST this?
FOR IT 7 (53.8%)
AGAINST IT 6 (46.2%)
Total Votes: 13
Texas governor orders STD vaccine for all girls; What is your opinion on this?
Topic Started: Feb 3 2007, 08:28 AM (563 Views)
JanaW
Member Avatar

Texas governor orders STD vaccine for all girls
Decision comes after maker of cervical cancer shot doubled lobbying efforts

Updated: 4:59 p.m. CT Feb 2, 2007
AUSTIN, Texas - Bypassing the Legislature altogether, Republican Gov. Rick Perry issued an order Friday making Texas the first state to require that schoolgirls get vaccinated against the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer.

By employing an executive order, Perry sidestepped opposition in the Legislature from conservatives and parents’ rights groups who fear such a requirement would condone premarital sex and interfere with the way Texans raise their children.

Beginning in September 2008, girls entering the sixth grade — meaning, generally, girls ages 11 and 12 — will have to receive Gardasil, Merck & Co.’s new vaccine against strains of the human papillomavirus, or HPV.

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

Perry, a conservative Christian who opposes abortion and stem-cell research using embryonic cells, counts on the religious right for his political base. But he has said the cervical cancer vaccine is no different from the one that protects children against polio.

“The HPV vaccine provides us with an incredible opportunity to effectively target and prevent cervical cancer,” Perry said.

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 tied to Merck
Perry has 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.

The governor also received $6,000 from Merck’s political action committee during his re-election campaign.

The order is effective until Perry or a successor changes it, and the Legislature has no authority to repeal it, said Perry spokeswoman Krista Moody. Moody said the Texas Constitution permits the governor, as head of the executive branch, to order other members of the executive branch to adopt rules like this one.

Legislative aides said they are looking for ways around the order for parents who oppose it.

“He’s circumventing the will of the people,” said Dawn Richardson, president of Parents Requesting Open Vaccine Education, a citizens group that fought for the right to opt out of other vaccine requirements. “There are bills filed. There’s no emergency except in the boardrooms of Merck, where this is failing to gain the support that they had expected.”

Opt-out option for parents
Texas allows parents to opt out of inoculations by filing an affidavit objecting to the vaccine on religious or philosophical reasons. Even with such provisions, however, conservative groups say such requirements interfere with parents’ rights to make medical decisions for their children. More news from MSN Health

The federal government approved Gardasil in June, and a government advisory panel has recommended that all girls get the shots at 11 and 12, before they are likely to be sexually active.

The New Jersey-based drug company could generate billions in sales if Gardasil — at $360 for the three-shot regimen — were made mandatory across the country. Most insurance companies now cover the vaccine, which has been shown to have no serious side effects.

Merck spokeswoman Janet Skidmore would not say how much the company is spending on lobbyists or how much it has donated to Women in Government. Susan Crosby, the group’s president, also declined to specify how much the drug company gave.

A top official from Merck’s vaccine division sits on Women in Government’s business council, and many of the bills around the country have been introduced by members of Women in Government.

© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
If slaughterhouses had glass walls the whole world would be vegetarian.
Linda McCartney
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
theonlyfab4fan
Member Avatar
I AM THE BIGGEST JOHN FAN!
Hmm. I find this disturbing and not because I believe that it will encourage premarital sex. While it might be true that perhaps this is no different than vaccinating for polio, this vaccine has not been long in use and we don`t have any long term stats for women who have had this shot and the possible medical issues that might come to light in the distant future. I wouldn`t want my child to be a guinea pig just so Mercks stockholders can reap the financial reward of having pushed this into the marketplace using a State Government to sanction it without going through proper legislative channels.

Sounds a bit like Nazi Germany to me.
You say you want to save humanity but it`s people that you just can`t stand
John came to me in a dream and this is what he said. "I had a vision of a man on a flaming pie, and he told me that Betsy with a B not Lisa with a L is the biggest fan of mine". John trumps 'the boss' !

I WAS ROBBED BY THAT DEVIL WOMAN

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
theonlyfab4fan
Member Avatar
I AM THE BIGGEST JOHN FAN!
Also makes me wonder what kind of kick back the Governor is recieving for this favor he is doing for Merck.
You say you want to save humanity but it`s people that you just can`t stand
John came to me in a dream and this is what he said. "I had a vision of a man on a flaming pie, and he told me that Betsy with a B not Lisa with a L is the biggest fan of mine". John trumps 'the boss' !

I WAS ROBBED BY THAT DEVIL WOMAN

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
JanaW
Member Avatar

As a point of reference....Rick Perry was George Bush's Lieutenant Governor when Bush was Governor of Texas. The apple, no matter how rotten, does not bounce far from the tree when it falls. :devil: I'm positive there is something in it for Perry.
If slaughterhouses had glass walls the whole world would be vegetarian.
Linda McCartney
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Sandra

Mixed feelings I suppose. It is probably like most vaccines a good idea but I don't like the idea that parents have to opt out of their child having the vaccine administered. I think the balance of choice should be that the vaccine is available and parents should opt in if they want their child to have it.

<a href='http://eapr-1/@0@Sandra@1@Edinburgh%2C%20Scotland@' target='_blank'></a>
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Deleted User
Deleted User

I for one support it.
Quote Post Goto Top
 
BeatleBarb
Member Avatar

Sandra
Feb 3 2007, 10:43 AM
Mixed feelings I suppose. It is probably like most vaccines a good idea but I don't like the idea that parents have to opt out of their child having the vaccine administered. I think the balance of choice should be that the vaccine is available and parents should opt in if they want their child to have it.

I tend to agree with you Sandra. There is a lot of really bad diseases out there, though, but I still insist on having choice as much as possible, even if ultimately the best choice might not be taken.

As far as Merck company goes, I know in the past they did some really wonderful work helping eradicate "river blindness", a most horrible and debilitating disease. At one time, they were a really progressive company and essentially they produced and gave the medicine away for free to those most severely affected people, who could not afford the medicine. I know pharmaceutical companies are not always to be trusted, but at least in this instance, they were great humanitarians. I hope the company's intentions this time are honorable.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Bill
Member Avatar

I don't really see a problem about this. HPV is not an STD in the same way as herpes or AIDS are. It's the kind of infections than can be spread by any sexual contact at all and is in no way a reflection on a person's hygiene or general morality. As such, I see no reason why it shouldn't be considered a no-brainer precaution just like measles or polio.
Put a puppet on it.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
BeatleBarb
Member Avatar

Bill
Feb 4 2007, 02:23 AM
I don't really see a problem about this. HPV is not an STD in the same way as herpes or AIDS are. It's the kind of infections than can be spread by any sexual contact at all and is in no way a reflection on a person's hygiene or general morality. As such, I see no reason why it shouldn't be considered a no-brainer precaution just like measles or polio.

But it is an STD and more than 30 or so strains are sexually transmitted by the human papillomavirus. (spelling?)
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Bill
Member Avatar

Yes, but I think the fact that it is sexually transmitted is really neither here nor there. If you can protect women against cancer, why the hell wouldn't you? People need to get over the sexually transmitted aspect of it. That doesn't make it a bedhoppers' disease. Any woman who has had any kind of sexual contact with anyone, ever has a possible risk. So anyone who doesn't plan to be a virgin forever should have this vaccine.
Put a puppet on it.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
BeatleBarb
Member Avatar

Bill
Feb 4 2007, 02:50 AM
Yes, but I think the fact that it is sexually transmitted is really neither here nor there. If you can protect women against cancer, why the hell wouldn't you? People need to get over the sexually transmitted aspect of it. That doesn't make it a bedhoppers' disease. Any woman who has had any kind of sexual contact with anyone, ever has a possible risk. So anyone who doesn't plan to be a virgin forever should have this vaccine.

I agree that there should be no stigma associated with it. I just like the idea of choice when it comes to medicine/health/personal choices. People do a lot of things that are bad for them, including eating junk food, but I wouldn't even want that legislated.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Bill
Member Avatar

I can see that, but I don't have a problem with legislation that protects people from themselves - including seatbelts, crash helmets and vaccinations.
Put a puppet on it.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
BeatleBarb
Member Avatar

Bill
Feb 4 2007, 03:27 AM
I can see that, but I don't have a problem with legislation that protects people from themselves - including seatbelts, crash helmets and vaccinations.

Damn it....let me annihilate myself if I want to...it's the American way!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Queenbee
Member Avatar
Moderator
I wonder if this drug was used in Europe. Lots of times, the American researcher watch the Europeans researchers, use medication first over seas and see how it works out. Then they get in into the markets here, which can take another 5 years or so.

I believe we should have a choice. This isn't like the measles or small pox. I feel this is being shoved down the throats of woman of Texas by politicians being paid off by special interest groups.
Special Interest groups and Politicians ruin the USA.

IMHO

PEACE and love to my friends, Judy

When the Power of Love over comes the Love of Power, the world will know Peace.
-Sri Chinmnoy Ghose

Till me meet again ~ I Love you Mike! You were one of a kind.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
JanaW
Member Avatar

My biggest objection is that it appears these children will become guinea pigs, through no choice of their own. I personally don't think this will ever actually come about. I imagine the State of Texas will end up being hauled into court and it will be tied up for years.
If slaughterhouses had glass walls the whole world would be vegetarian.
Linda McCartney
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
JeffLynnesBeard
Member Avatar
Administrator & Moderator
I haven't got a problem with this - especially as participation is optional.
...and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Dorfliedot
Member Avatar
Beatlelicious
I am all for it. and why, would change things. teenager have sex because, they want to no matter what parents say or do. I think that it be good to avoid cancer.
Posted Image
Add Glitter to your Photos
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
theonlyfab4fan
Member Avatar
I AM THE BIGGEST JOHN FAN!
Does it not bother anyone that the governor was able to do this without going through the proper legislative process. What if he next decides that in order to prevent teenage pregnancy that every girl in the state starting at age 10 must have the depo shot until she is of legal age?
You say you want to save humanity but it`s people that you just can`t stand
John came to me in a dream and this is what he said. "I had a vision of a man on a flaming pie, and he told me that Betsy with a B not Lisa with a L is the biggest fan of mine". John trumps 'the boss' !

I WAS ROBBED BY THAT DEVIL WOMAN

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Dorfliedot
Member Avatar
Beatlelicious
theonlyfab4fan
Feb 4 2007, 06:11 PM
Does it not bother anyone that the governor was able to do this without going through the proper legislative process. What if he next decides that in order to prevent teenage pregnancy that every girl in the state starting at age 10 must have the depo shot until she is of legal age?

I did think about that betsy. but, now, It should been done the right way.
Posted Image
Add Glitter to your Photos
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Bill
Member Avatar

I don't see how that follows. :huh:
Put a puppet on it.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
theonlyfab4fan
Member Avatar
I AM THE BIGGEST JOHN FAN!
Could it not be argued that stopping teen pregnancy would best serve the state and it`s citizens.

It isn`t that I think there is necessarily anything wrong with the vaccine, although we do not have a generations worth of data accumulated about possible long term side effects, I have a problem that the governor could sign an order making a medical procedure mandatory without benefit of legislation.
You say you want to save humanity but it`s people that you just can`t stand
John came to me in a dream and this is what he said. "I had a vision of a man on a flaming pie, and he told me that Betsy with a B not Lisa with a L is the biggest fan of mine". John trumps 'the boss' !

I WAS ROBBED BY THAT DEVIL WOMAN

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Bill
Member Avatar

I don't think you're comparing apples with apples. The vaccine prevents a disease from which no good can possibly come - that's not the same as contraception.
Put a puppet on it.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
theonlyfab4fan
Member Avatar
I AM THE BIGGEST JOHN FAN!
I see what you are saying Bill. So answer this. What good comes from a 13 year old girl having a baby.

The fact is is that this shot only targets a small number of the 80 or so strains of this virus.

Like I said, we don`t have a long track record with the shot to know what possible effects it could have on a womans life 20 years later. And most importantly this should not be done without the benefit of legislation. If the governor can sidestep the political process to make this happen, what other things can he concievably get away with that couldn`t be challenged until his term of office is up.
You say you want to save humanity but it`s people that you just can`t stand
John came to me in a dream and this is what he said. "I had a vision of a man on a flaming pie, and he told me that Betsy with a B not Lisa with a L is the biggest fan of mine". John trumps 'the boss' !

I WAS ROBBED BY THAT DEVIL WOMAN

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Bill
Member Avatar

theonlyfab4fan
Feb 5 2007, 01:53 PM
I see what you are saying Bill. So answer this. What good comes from a 13 year old girl having a baby.

A baby! ;)
A baby that has as much potential as any other child born that day.

There's only one way that we can collect long term research and that's to do it. And let's be honest, this is not an experimental vaccine any more. It's out there, and people should have it. As for what could happen 20 years down the track, cancer is one of those things if people don't get the vaccine. You have to play the probabilities a bit.

I know where you're coming from with the governor acting unilaterally like that but I don't have a problem with someone taking the initiative while the possibly under-informed legislature might dither..... not when I agree with the initiative, anyway. ;)
Put a puppet on it.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
theonlyfab4fan
Member Avatar
I AM THE BIGGEST JOHN FAN!
That is all well and good but what about when it happens and you disagree. It should be considered an outrage as far as I`m concerned anytime it happens regardless of the so called benefit. Why should it be assumed that the legislature has less information about the risk/benefits of the vaccine than the governor. The only possible info that they are not privvy to that he is, is how much of a kickback he recieved from Merck.

Babies are a good thing, but surely you can`t believe that a child born to a teenage girl has the same opportunity to flourish as a child born into a home with two stable committed mature parents. These teenage mothers almost never break the poverty cycle and their kids are usually doomed to a life of perpetuating the cycle.

Maternal death rates are significantly higher in teenager mothers. Premature birth rates are higher as well.
You say you want to save humanity but it`s people that you just can`t stand
John came to me in a dream and this is what he said. "I had a vision of a man on a flaming pie, and he told me that Betsy with a B not Lisa with a L is the biggest fan of mine". John trumps 'the boss' !

I WAS ROBBED BY THAT DEVIL WOMAN

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Bill
Member Avatar

Well, at least I'm honest about it. B)

I fully agree that a baby born to a 13yo would have much less opportunities possibly, but I do think it's a bit of a stretch to compare teenage pregnancies to cancer. Education is the solution to teenage pregnancy because it's something that can be avoided. The only way to avoid the risk of HPV is to never have sex with anyone ever, or get the vaccine. To me, that's a no-brainer and the sexually transmitted aspect of the disease is purely incidental.
Put a puppet on it.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
theonlyfab4fan
Member Avatar
I AM THE BIGGEST JOHN FAN!
It is not my intention to compare teenage pregnancy to cancer. My intention is to say that if the governor can mandate a medical procedure to the citizens of the state without legislation where will the line be drawn.
You say you want to save humanity but it`s people that you just can`t stand
John came to me in a dream and this is what he said. "I had a vision of a man on a flaming pie, and he told me that Betsy with a B not Lisa with a L is the biggest fan of mine". John trumps 'the boss' !

I WAS ROBBED BY THAT DEVIL WOMAN

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
wackadoo
Member Avatar

I have to say that I agree with a lot of what Bill has to say regarding this topic. I had my eyes open to teenage sex with my last child. She and her friends were predated on by 18-19 year old boys when the girls were 14 and 15. They were young and naive to all of the consequences of sex without protection. It's not that they didn't hear it, it's that they thought they knew more than we did. One of them ended up with an STD that they will be living with for the rest of their lives. We as parents can educate them but ultimately we cannot protect them from this kind of thing. I say that I would be all for something like this. Even adults are at great risk if one is sexually active. Some people are responsible and have themselves tested regularly and some just don't worry about it until it happens to them.
Posted Image

RIP Steve. I love and miss you.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
theonlyfab4fan
Member Avatar
I AM THE BIGGEST JOHN FAN!
I agree Wackadoo, in theory, with you and Bill. What I don`t agree with is the using of children as guinea pigs to further research and allowing a politcal leader to implement a program for the general population with no checks and balances.


In my uninformed, uneducated opinion feel as if this reeks of Nazi Germany rather than something far more altruistic.
You say you want to save humanity but it`s people that you just can`t stand
John came to me in a dream and this is what he said. "I had a vision of a man on a flaming pie, and he told me that Betsy with a B not Lisa with a L is the biggest fan of mine". John trumps 'the boss' !

I WAS ROBBED BY THAT DEVIL WOMAN

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
wackadoo
Member Avatar

However, the reality is that it is happening all over and to children who are so very young. I didn't know what was happening with my daughter until some of it was over because she and her friends were sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night. By the time we caught them, the damage had been done. I think my daughter and her friends who are now 18 and 19 would love to have had a vaccination like this. I know there is a lot of political red tape and questions but I know for me, I wish this had been something required a few ago in California. Kids go and get birth control without our permission but taking pills still doesn't protect them from STDs. The entire subject angers me because my daughter had more rights at 15 while still immature than I did as her parent. I had the system working against me. You don't realize just how much until you are dealing with it.
Posted Image

RIP Steve. I love and miss you.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
mozart8mytoe
Member Avatar

theonlyfab4fan
Feb 4 2007, 10:56 PM
In my uninformed, uneducated opinion feel as if this reeks of Nazi Germany rather than something far more altruistic.

The Nazis would experiment on the children of undesirables, not their own. They cared more about their own children than that.

I have no problem with a drug company using its political connections to make large profits. That is how this country operates. And I have no problem with new drugs being forced on these little wh*res. It is not like any new drug that got pushed through FDA approval ever hurt anyone. Thalidomide was awesome. At least for the first few months.
Nurse, I spy gypsies. Run.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
JanaW
Member Avatar

If he can order all teenage girls who take the STD vaccine, then why not have all people under 21 undergo testing for tobacco usage and force the ones who smoke to use some sort of smoking cessation? It seems to me that there are just as many or more at risk of lung cancer. Could it be that this will never happen because the politicians are in the pocket of the tobacco companies?
If slaughterhouses had glass walls the whole world would be vegetarian.
Linda McCartney
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Deleted User
Deleted User

If it keeps women from getting cervical cancer than I see nothing wrong with it.
Quote Post Goto Top
 
JanaW
Member Avatar

Like I said....why not ban smoking for kids? Hell...forget kids....ban tobacco altogether!!! The Governor of Texas needs to ban smoking in Texas ...period! I venture to say that some of you smokers would raise holy hell about that...even if it was meant to keep you from dying of lung cancer. Tell me what the difference is?
If slaughterhouses had glass walls the whole world would be vegetarian.
Linda McCartney
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
theonlyfab4fan
Member Avatar
I AM THE BIGGEST JOHN FAN!
I learned an interesting tidbit today. Mercks lobbyist is the governor of Texas former chief of staff.
You say you want to save humanity but it`s people that you just can`t stand
John came to me in a dream and this is what he said. "I had a vision of a man on a flaming pie, and he told me that Betsy with a B not Lisa with a L is the biggest fan of mine". John trumps 'the boss' !

I WAS ROBBED BY THAT DEVIL WOMAN

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
JanaW
Member Avatar

What is it they say about strange bedfellows? :hmm:

This was posted on MSN earlier....

The FAQ on the HPV Vaccine

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For preteen girls, Gardasil vaccinates against cervical cancer. But questions remain. Here are the answers.
by Bethany Lye for MSN Health & Fitness


What if you could protect your daughter against cervical cancer, a disease that kills 4,000 American women every year and often strikes during the reproductive prime years? What if, with just three shots, you could also keep her safe from one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases?

In June 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the world’s first-ever cancer vaccine. Called Gardasil, it can protect your little girl from cervical cancer and HPV. The vaccine is recommended to be administered to girls as young as 9 years old. It appears most parents choosing the vaccine for their daughters are bypassing discussion of HPV and sexual activity until a later and more appropriate date.

But there nonetheless figures to be plenty of discussion about the vaccine. Texas became the first state to require the vaccine for sixth-grade girls when Governor Rick Perry signed an executive order mandating it on Friday. The lobbyist for Gardasil's manufacturer, Merck, is Perry's former chief of staff, the New York Times reported. That did not sway the governor's decision, a spokesman for the governor told the Times.

No matter what you might think about government intervention for this vaccine, the experts seem to agree: Today’s young girls need all the protection they can get.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says Gardasil can effectively prevent cervical cancer and gential warts for preteens, but notes “compelling evidence” that the vaccine is less valuable to teenage girls and young women already exposed to the viruses that can cause those conditions. Plus, the FDA says the new vaccine could worsen cervical cancer for women who already have it (diagnosed or not).

So, even though the vaccine is recommended for girls as young as nine and up to young women in their mid-20s, there are questions about its effectiveness as girls become adults. Here are the most frequently asked questions about the new vaccine:

First, a quick review:

Gardasil protects against four different types of human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV, a sexually transmitted disease (STD) is the most common cause of cervical cancer in women. In fact, HPV is fairly common—about half of all sexually active adults acquire genital HPV in their lifetime, and more than 6 million Americans are newly infected every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Protection.

One of the most important things to know about HPV is that it’s really a group of viruses and includes more than 100 different strains. Only about a dozen of these strains have the potential to cause cervical cancer. Of these “high-risk” strains, HPV types 16 and 18 cause about 70 percent of all cervical cancers. They are, without a doubt, the riskiest of HPV’s high-risk strains.

Luckily, Gardasil, which is manufactured by Merck and Co., is designed to protect women against HPV types 16 and 18. The vaccine also protects women against HPV strains 6 and 11, which do not cause cervical caner, but instead are responsible for nearly 90 percent of all cases of genital warts.

The vaccine is actually a series of three shots administered over a six-month period, and it is only recommended for young women ages 9 to 26. While men can’t develop cervical cancer they can carry the virus and help spread it. In rare instances, HPV infection in men can also lead to anal or penile cancer.

As for side effects: There may be some tenderness, swelling and redness where the injection goes, but that’s about it.

Here are more answers to common HPV vaccine questions:

How much does it cost?

Each shot costs $120, according to Deb Wambold, a spokesperson for Merck vaccines.

So, three pokes in the arm at $120 per poke adds up to $360 . Keep in mind, however, that this total doesn’t include the cost of the doctor’s visit or possible markup—it only covers the cost of the vaccine as stated by Merck.

Is it covered by insurance?

The uncomplicated answer : Yes

“Right now, there are 120 different insurance plans in the U.S. that have agreed to cover Gardasil,” says Wambold. This means that 96 percent of the nation’s insurance companies offer some coverage for Gardasil, she says.

But the complicated answer: Maybe

Even if your insurance company offers coverage for Gardasil, this doesn’t automatically mean your immunization is covered. Everything depends on what type of plan you’ve chosen, says Wambold who encourages people to call up their insurance companies and see. If your provider didn’t cover Gardasil last year, check with them again. “Many insurance companies updated their coverage at the start of the New Year,” says Wambold.

When Wambold was asked about "accessibility," she answered that the only problem they've seen is when doctors say '"I'm not administering it because my patients' insurance isn't covering it." Most public health officials are recommending that you call the doctor ahead of time, just to make sure the vaccine is available.

What if I’m underinsured or uninsured?

Vaccinating adults: In May 2006, Merck added Gardasil to its Patient Assistance Program— great news for anyone who is uninsured or unable to afford the vaccine. Merck’s Patient Assistance Program allows adults (ages 19 and older) to receive free vaccinations of Gardasil. The snags are this: You must find a doctor who normally provides Merck vaccines to their patients, and they must work in a private practice. You must also fill out a form stating your need, and the doctor’s office will then fax your form to Merck for approval. The standard turnaround time for approval is about 10 minutes, so, in theory, you can fill out your form and receive your shot in the same visit.

Vaccinating children: In November 2006, the CDC added Gardasil to its Vaccines for Children Program. This means that Medicaid-eligible, uninsured, underinsured and Native American girls ages 9 to 18 can now receive Gardasil vaccinations free of charge. More than 45,000 sites across the country provide this service, including hospitals, rural health centers and private and public clinics, according to the CDC.

Does the vaccine require an initial screening, like an HPV test or Pap smear?

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices doesn’t require young women and girls to receive an initial screening (Pap smear or otherwise) in order to be eligible for the HPV vaccine.

Does the invention of Gardasil make Pap tests obsolete?

Many women may wish this were true, but Gardasil doesn’t replace an annual Pap test. Women who have been vaccinated with Gardasil should still receive regular Pap tests and continue to be screened for cervical cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. Here’s why:

The vaccine protects against HPV types 16 and 18, strains are responsible for most—but not all—of the cervical cancer cases. About 30 percent of the time, an entirely different high-risk strain (such as HPV type 31 or 45) causes the cancer. Also, the vaccine doesn’t work retroactively; if a woman is sexually active and exposed to HPV type 16 or 18 (or both) before immunization, she won’t be protected from these strains upon vaccination.

Why are just females ages 9 to 26 approved for vaccinations? What about men, babies and older women?

Merck and Co.’s first wave of research trials for Gardasil involved women ages 9 to 26. So, when the FDA approved the vaccine, it stuck with this target demographic. The good news is that Merck is currently working to expand Gardasil’s audience. The company is now testing the drug’s efficacy, safety and immune response in women ages 26 to 45 and in males ages 9 to 26. All of these trials are in the latter stages of research, according to Wambold. When, and if, the science proves beyond a reasonable doubt that Gardasil is safe for these populations, new FDA approvals will follow.

Vaccinating newborns is an entirely different story. Here, the most important question is n’t, “Is the vaccine safe and effective?” but “How long will Gardasil’s immunity last?”

Because the HPV vaccine is relatively new, scientists are still uncertain if Gardasil’s immunity will last a lifetime or if booster shots will be required. Because of this uncertainty, there’s a chance that vaccinating a newborn could result in a loss of HPV immunity by the time the child reaches an age of sexual activity. This scenario is possible, but unlikely, according to preclinical trials (Merck is currently testing the drug’s staying power). As a result, scientists at the CDC have recommended that parents wait until their daughters reach age 11 or 12 before being immunized.

Will my daughter’s school require her to get immunized?

School immunization requirements are a state decision. Currently, a dozen or so states—like Maryland and Virginia—are considering passing legislation to join Texas in making HPV vaccines mandatory for girls entering middle school. As the sole manufacturer of this type of drug, Merck and Co. will undoubtedly benefit if state legislatures vote to require the vaccine. Consequently, the company has admitted to funneling money into various female advocacy groups around the country, like Women in Government. In turn, these advocacy groups have expressed their support for mandatory HPV vaccinations. For the time being, however, Texas stands alone in requiring the vaccine.



If slaughterhouses had glass walls the whole world would be vegetarian.
Linda McCartney
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
BeatleBarb
Member Avatar

theonlyfab4fan
Feb 5 2007, 10:36 PM
I learned an interesting tidbit today. Mercks lobbyist is the governor of Texas former chief of staff.

Yeah, I read that too. And did you see the price of the vaccine? Astronomical, even if insurance does cover it!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Deleted User
Deleted User


no brainer ummm, fine who the hell do you sue when it goes wrong, the state of Texas or the company that is paying the Governor. err no brainer that something is rotten in the state of texas.

yes, Frau schmidt Han's will be happy in this nice new building we have here. err no brainer

thankfully by the time it gets it's clearance here the trial paid by the parents of Texas should have some interesting results.

what is the female adult population of the untied states err how many deaths per year, is it an std yes the VIRUS is, err no brainer.

if you have a brain kindly give me the simple courtesy of assuming that i have one.

Anything that subverts the democratic functions of a legislature should be opposed by any democrat regardless of how meritorious you feel the measure is.


Quote Post Goto Top
 
JanaW
Member Avatar

Drugmaker stops lobbying efforts for STD shots
Merck criticized by parents and doctors for pushing cervical cancer vaccine

Updated: 6:32 p.m. CT Feb 20, 2007
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 Tuesday, had been criticized 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 papillomavirus (HPV), 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. Richard 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. It protects against the two virus strains that cause 70 percent of cervical cancer and two strains that cause most genital warts.

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

Timing of Merck's push questioned
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 Perry on Feb. 2 issued an executive order requiring Texas girls entering the sixth grade as of 2008 get the vaccinations, triggering protests from lawmakers in that state.

Perry defended his order Tuesday, a day after lawmakers in Austin held a lengthy hearing on the issue but failed to act on a bill to override the order.

Gardasil will have bigger effect in poor countries
Dr. Anne Francis, who chairs an American Academy of Pediatrics committee that advocates for better insurer reimbursement on vaccines, called Merck’s change of heart “a good move for the public.”

“I believe that their timing was a little bit premature,” she said, “so soon after (Gardasil’s) release, before we have a picture of whether there are going to be any untoward side effects.”

Given that the country has been “burned” by some drugs whose serious side effects emerged only after they were in wide use, including Merck’s withdrawn painkiller Vioxx, Francis said, it would be better to wait awhile before mandating Gardasil usage.

She said she also was concerned about requiring a vaccine for a disease that is not communicable and so does not have a big public health impact. While doctors expect Gardasil to have a huge effect in poor countries where women do not get Pap smears, in this country those tests limit the incidence of cervical cancer to about 9,710 new cases and 3,700 deaths each year.

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 center, a group of parents worried that vaccines harm some children, questions whether the vaccine 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 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.

Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is a common cause of sexually transmitted disease. In some cases, the virus can form warts on various parts of the body, including the feet, hands and genitals. There are more than 100 types of HPV, most of which are harmless. Of these 100, more than 30 types are sexually transmitted. Some types of HPV that cause genital infections can also cause cervical cancer and other gynecological cancers.



Sources: Associated Press, National Institutes of Health, CDC • Print this
© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
If slaughterhouses had glass walls the whole world would be vegetarian.
Linda McCartney
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
« Previous Topic · Things We Said Today · Next Topic »
Add Reply


"Treasure these few words"