Texas' otherwise loathsome GOP Governor Rick Perry (dubbed "Governor Goodhair" by the late Molly Ivins) did something a few months ago I actually supported. He signed a bill stating girls in public school be given HPV vaccine due to its
impeccable track record in preventing cervical cancer. Parents COULD OPT OUT of
the school provision if they chose, a fact not widely reported in the media.
Still, not good enough: Cultural conservatives didn't like this and rightwing talk radio spoke about vaccination leading to sexual promiscuity and all around
whoredom. Pundits dredged up some stories that supposedly pointed to shady backroom deals between Rick Perry and Merck, the vaccine manufacturer. Even though parents could always opt out, families from conservative bastions like Plano, TX, are took the matter into the courts to overturn Perry's executive order.
"[N]ow the Texas House of Representatives has voted 119-21 to pass legislation to overturn Perry's executive order requiring school age girls to get the HPV vaccine." (from http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=2948193&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312)
Now Canada recently announced a massive 300 million effort to ensure girls get vaccinated. Bravo!
*********************** Down under too:
Australian Government To Provide HPV Vaccine Gardasil At No-Cost ...Australian Prime Minister John Howard on Wednesday announced that the government will provide about $342 million for a program that will offer Merck. www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=57888 - 39k -
Regards, Mike B)
Wage-slave's Escape http://happystiletto.blogspot.com/
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