Merck Lobbies States to MANDATE cervical-cancer vaccine for SCHOOL GIRLS ! ! !

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Merck Lobbies States to MANDATE cervical-cancer vaccineforschoolgirls_AP> ALLIANCE FOR HUMAN RESEARCH PROTECTION (AHRP)> Promoting Openness, Full Disclosure, and Accountability> http://www.ahrp.org and http://ahrp.blogspot.com>> FYI>> The Associated Press reports that Merck--the company responsible for the> tens of thousands of preventable heart attacks and deaths due to itsfailure> to disclose the cardiac risk of its now outlawed drug, Vioxx--is now> bankrolling efforts to pass state laws REQUIRING girls as young as 11 tobe> vaccinated with its new vaccine, Gardasil, for the possible prevention of> cervical cancer in the future!!>> What is worse than appalling is that Merck has not only hired lobbyists to> push for legislation that tramples on parental rights andresponsibilities,> the company has also funneled money through Women in Government, anadvocacy> group made up of female state legislators around the country.>> It is estimated that Merck could generate at least $1 billion in sales per> year--at $360 for the three-shot regimen. Billions more IF Gardasil were> made mandatory across the country.>> If we've learned nothing else these last few years, it is that the worst> adverse effects of a new medicine--drug or vaccine--are not evident when> first marketed. So aside from issues of parental rights colliding with> industry-friendly government policies, the vaccine has not proven itself> safe and effective in the marketplace. Does anyone remember hormone> replacement and its broken promise?>> Unlesss Merck and the government sign written guarantees that they will> assume all responsiblity for any and all adverse effects that may occur> after being exposed to the vaccine, Gardasil, it is downright recklessand> irresponsible to adopt any MANDATORYpolicy.>>> Contact: Vera Hassner Sharav> 212-595-8974> veracare>> http://news.bostonherald.com/national/view.bg?articleid=180060 & format=text> Associated Press> Merck lobbies states to require cervical-cancer vaccine for schoolgirls> Tuesday, January 30, 2007 ->> AUSTIN, Texas - Merck & Co. is helping bankroll efforts to pass state laws> requiring girls as young as 11 or 12 to receive the drugmaker's newvaccine> against the sexually transmitted cervical-cancer virus.>> Some conservatives and parents'-rights groups say such a requirement> would encourage premarital sex and interfere with the way they raise their> children, and they say Merck's push for such laws is underhanded. But the> company said its lobbying efforts have been above-board.>> With at least 18 states debating whether to require Merck's Gardasil> vaccine for schoolgirls, Merck has funneled money through Women in> Government, an advocacy group made up of female state legislators aroundthe> country.>> A top official from Merck's vaccine division sits on Women in> Government's business council, and many of the bills around the countryhave> been introduced by members of Women in Government.>> "Cervical cancer is of particular interest to our members because it> represents the first opportunity that we have to actually eliminate a> cancer," Women in Government President Susan Crosby said.>> Gardasil, approved by the federal government in June, protects girlsand> women against strains of the human papillomavirus, or HPV, that are> responsible for most cases of cervical cancer. A government advisory panel> has recommended that all girls get the shots at 11 and 12, before they are> likely to be sexually active.>> But no state has yet to add Gardasil to the list of vaccinations> youngsters must have under law to be enrolled in school.>> 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.> Crosby also declined to specify how much the drug company gave.>> But Skidmore said: "We disclosed the fact that we provide funding to> this organization. We're not in any way trying to obscure that.">> 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 hasbeen> shown to have no serious side effects.>> Cathie Adams, president of the conservative watchdog group Texas Eagle> Forum, said the relationship between Merck and Women in Government is too> cozy.>> "What it does is benefit the pharmaceutical companies, and I don'twant> pharmaceutical companies taking precedence over the authorities ofparents,"> she said.>> Adams said Merck's method of lobbying quietly through groups likeWomen> in Government in addition to meeting directly with legislators are commonin> state government but still should raise eyebrows. "It's corrupt as far as> I'm concerned," she said.>> A mandatory vaccine against a sexually transmitted disease could be a> tough sell in the Lone Star State and other conservative strongholds,where> schools preach abstinence and parents' rights are sacrosanct.>> But Merck has doubled its spending on lobbyists in Texas this year, to> between $150,000 and $250,000, as lawmakers consider the vaccine bill for> girls entering the sixth grade.>> Also, the drugmaker has hired one of the state's most powerful> lobbyists, Mike Toomey, who once served as Republican Gov. Rick Perry's> chief of staff and can influence conservatives who see him as one of their> own.>> "What we support are approaches that achieve high immunization rates,"> said Skidmore, the Merck spokeswoman. "We're talking about cervical cancer> here, the second-leading cancer among women worldwide.">> The legislation already has the enthusiastic support of theconservative> governor.>> "I look at this no different than vaccinating our children for polio,"> Perry said. "If there are diseases in our society that are going to costus> 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.">> Proposals for mandates have popped up from California to Connecticut> since the first piece of legislation was introduced in September in> Michigan. Michigan's bill was narrowly defeated last month. Lawmakers said> the requirement would intrude on families' privacy, even though, as inmost> states' proposals, parents could opt out.>> Even with such opt-out provisions, mandates take away parents' rightsto> make medical decisions for their children, said Linda Klepacki of the> Colorado-based evangelical organization Focus on the Family. The group> contends the vaccine should be available for parents who want it, but not> forced on those who don't.>> But Texas Rep. Jessica Farrar said her proposal is aimed at protecting> children whose parents are less informed about or less interested in> preventive care.>> "Not everybody has equal sets of parents," said Farrar, a Houston> Democrat who had precancerous cells removed from her cervix several years> ago. "I think this is a public health issue and to not want to eradicate> cervical cancer is irresponsible.">> Drug-industry analyst Steve Brozak of W.B.B. Securities has projected> Gardasil sales of at least $1 billion per year _ and billions more ifstates> start requiring the vaccine. "I could not think of a bigger boost," hesaid.>> C Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved.>>> FAIR USE NOTICE: This may contain copyrighted (C ) material the use ofwhich> has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such> material is made available for educational purposes, to advance> understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and> social justice issues, etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair> use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C.> section 107 of the US Copyright Law. This material is distributed without> profit.

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