Gardasil in Texas

[sgrizzle]

If Rick Perry can fend off his constituents and the vaccinations become mandatory, is it something Oklahoma should consider as well?

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8NF2NH80.html

[iplaw]

Eh...they make kids get vaccines before they go to school, and they already hand out condoms in high school like the kids are on shore leave...I don't see what the big deal is.

[NellieBly]

There was a nice article in the Tulsa World last week about a Tulsa woman (and Catholic!) who is making sure her two daughters have the shot. It's a very important first step to stopping cervical cancer. It's a shame Perry and Merck had to muck things up with this little corrupt scheme, but what else can you expect from someone of his ilk. It will just add fuel to the fire of the neocon belief that this shot will make girls run out and have sex.

[NellieBly]

pIp, you will be glad to know that studies show it works for men, too.

http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/?last_story=/mwt/broadsheet/2007/02/23/hpv/

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by NellieBly

There was a nice article in the Tulsa World last week about a Tulsa woman (and Catholic!) who is making sure her two daughters have the shot. It's a very important first step to stopping cervical cancer. It's a shame Perry and Merck had to muck things up with this little corrupt scheme, but what else can you expect from someone of his ilk. It will just add fuel to the fire of the neocon belief that this shot will make girls run out and have sex.

I can't go with the "corruption" angle over a $5,000 contribution... especially when they were planning this months before the tiny check.

[iplaw]

The only part that seems corrupt is the pharma companies lobbying the legislation, but apparently they said they were going to stop.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by NellieBly

pIp, you will be glad to know that studies show it works for men, too.

http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/?last_story=/mwt/broadsheet/2007/02/23/hpv/

Thank you for the link NellieBly.  HPV causes genital warts and rectal cancer in men; it is not only a concern for women.  I have known about the risks of HPV in men for 20+ years.  I am surprised so many men and women know so little about it.  If it prevents HPV infection in previously uninfected females, I can't imagine why it would not do the same for males, but then again, I am no doctor or expert in the field.

Given the current cost and the monopoly of the marketer of Gardisil, I don't think it should be legislative mandatory, without cost assistance to lower income persons.

[sgrizzle]

People don't know even though it is the most common STD, it doesn't show many signs. Especially in men.