Feminism Today

Feminist Daily News Wire
March 15, 2007
Texas House Votes to Overturn Mandatory HPV Vaccine Policy
The Texas House of Representatives voted yesterday to pass a bill that would overturn Governor Rick Perry's (R) executive order mandating that all girls entering sixth grade be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV). The 118-23 vote would halt the mandatory vaccination program, which is the first of its kind in the country. An identical bills is in—committee in the Texas Senate and has been sponsored by more than half the members, <em>Associated Press</em> reports.

In June 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the HPV vaccine, Gardasil, which prevents cervical cancer and genital warts caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18. According to the FDA, more than half of sexually active women will contract HPV, which is responsible for 70 percent of all cervical cancer and 90 percent of genital warts cases, in their lifetime. Texas became the first state to require the HPV vaccine when Gov. Perry issued an executive order in early February. His office released a statement providing Perry's opinion that "we should protect as many young women as possible -- rich and poor, insured and uninsured -- while maintaining parents' rights to opt their daughter out of receiving the vaccine," the New York Times reports.

If the bill passes both houses and comes to Gov. Perry's desk, he would have 10 days to sign it, let it become law without his signature, or veto it. According to the Houston Chronicle, Gov. Perry has not indicated what he would do.

In related news, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine (D) have announced that they will sign state legislation that would require all sixth-grade girls to receive the vaccination.

I don't really understand why people wouldn't want their daughters vaccinated against this. I read in another message board a woman saying that if boys were vaccinated it would speed up the process of eliminating the problem and if so it should happen. I guess if i had a daughter, it might infuriate me that the boys are not getting vaccinated to help out the cause but to deny your daughter a wonderful new breakthrough in medicine which could possibly be responsibe for her living a long, healthy life would be almost irresponsible.

I've also heard someone say on the news that if people want their children vaccinated they should leave it up to the parents... Well in a fairytale world everyone would have wonderful parents who care so much about them and have the health insurance or money to pay for gardasil. but we don't live in that kind of world. and it is the governments job to protect us.

We did with hepatitis, because the one that was required only protected against the sexually or fluid transferred one.

What if you or your daughter were to be raped by a man who had HPV or hepatitis? sadly, alot of women in this country are raped and diseases are something you have to be worried about there. But i do understand your point about the guinea pig thing.