In 2007, Perry Issued An Executive Order Mandating That All Sixth-Grade Girls In Texas Receive A Controversial STD Vaccine Called Gardasil. “Perry chose to bypass the legislature and on Feb. 2, 2007, he issued an executive order making Texas the first state in the country requiring all sixth-grade girls to receive the three-shot [Gardasil, produced by Merck] vaccination series … Conservatives slammed Perry for promoting what they saw as an intrusion by the state into private health decisions of parents and their children.” Tom Bevan, “Rick Perry’s Gardasil Problem.” Real Clear Politics. 6/14/11
Numbers & Statistics:
The GOP-Dominated Texas Legislature Overturned The Order By A Combined 149-22 Vote. Tom Bevan, “Rick Perry’s Gardasil Problem.” Real Clear Politics. 6/14/11
The Associated Press: “[Merck] Could Generate Billions In Sales If Gardasil - At $360 For The Three-Shot Regimen -- Were Made Mandatory Across The Country.” “Rick Perry’s Ties With Merck Run Deep,” The Associated Press, 2/2/07
In 2006, Merck Contributed $5,000 To Perry’s Campaign On The Same Day Perry’s Chief Of Staff “Met With Key Aides” To Discuss The HPV Vaccine. Liz Austin Peterson, “Perry Staff Discussed Vaccine On Day Of Merck Donation,” The Associated Press, 2/22/07
“Perry … Received $6,000 From Merck’s Political Action Committee During His Re-Election Campaign.” “Rick Perry’s Ties With Merck Run Deep,” The Associated Press, 2/2/07
Office of Governor Perry: The HPV Vaccine “Is Estimated To Cost The State $50 Million In The First Year Of Mandatory Vaccination.” “Administering the vaccine to young women eligible for the Texas Vaccines for Children program is estimated to cost the state $50 million in the first year of mandatory vaccination -- however this is not a repeating cost because once vaccinated, there isn’t a need to repeat the vaccination.” Office Of Governor Rick Perry, “HPV Vaccine And The EO,” Backgrounder, Undated, p. 3.
Perry wanted all girls to be vaccinated by 2008 — the same year Texas had the highest rate of uninsured kids in the United States. The governor required that kids receive a series of three shots costing nearly $400 to ward off genital warts. But he did precious little to help provide 1.4 million kids with insurance coverage for health conditions like diabetes, broken bones and the flu. Des Moines Register:
Perry's Texas is no health care model
New York Times:
Tracking the Flow of Money
Perry paying for friends through Gardasil
“A Defiant Gov. Rick Perry Accused Legislators Tuesday Of Sacrificing Women’s Lives To Score Political Points...” Christy Hoppe, “Legislature Defeats HPV Mandate,” The Dallas Morning News, 5/9/07
“[Perry] Thanked Lawmakers Who Voted Against The Bill … ‘No Lost Lives Will Occupy The Confines Of Their Conscience, Sacrificed On The Altar Of Political Expediency,’ He Said.”
Christy Hoppe, “Legislature Defeats HPV Mandate,” The Dallas Morning News, 5/9/07
Perry: “[The Legislature Has] Relegated The Lives Of Our Young Women To Social Darwinism … This Is Shameful.” PERRY: “Instead of vaccinating close to 95 percent of our young women, and virtually eliminating the spread of the most common STD in America, [the legislature has] relegated the lives of our young women to social Darwinism, where only those who can afford it or those who know about the virtues of it will get access to the HPV vaccine. In fact, this legislature has not only overturned an order that could save women’s lives, but they put rider language in the budget that prevents the state from funding vaccines for low-income women if it is mandated by the commission. This is shameful.” Gov. Rick Perry, Remarks In Austin, TX, 5/8/07
Perry: “I Challenge Legislators To Look These Women In The Eye And Tell Them, ‘We Could Have Prevented This Disease … But We Just Didn’t Have The Gumption.” “Gesturing to Barbara Garcia, 27, of Houston, who has to use a wheelchair because of cervical cancer, and Amanda Vail, 29, of Houston, who said she contracted HPV after being raped, Perry said, ‘I challenge legislators to look these women in the eye and tell them, “We could have prevented this disease for your daughters and your granddaughters, but we just didn’t have the gumption to address all the misguided and misleading political rhetoric.”’” Corrie Maclaggan, “Perry Bows To Vaccine Order’s Foes,” Austin American Statesman, 5/9/07
Perry: “A Debate Which Affects Real Lives Has Been Hijacked By Politics And Posturing. I Have Never Seen So Much Misinformation Spread About A Vital Public Health Issue.” PERRY: “In early February I initiated a national debate by ordering the widespread use of the HPV vaccine, which protects women from the deadly human papillomavirus that serves as the most common cause of cervical cancer. … During that timeframe, a debate which affects real lives has been hijacked by politics and posturing. I have never seen so much misinformation spread about a vital public health issue: whether it is the effectiveness of the vaccine, the impact of the order on parents’ decision-making authority, or the impact this will have on the behavior of young women.” Gov. Rick Perry, Remarks In Austin, TX, 5/08/07
Perry: “Politicians Have Had Their Say On This Issue And Politics Has Been Served. They Have Had An Opportunity To Eliminate The Leading Cause Of The Second Most Common Cancer In Women. They Chose Not To.” Gov. Rick Perry, Remarks In Austin, TX, 5/8/07
Perry: “Critics Cannot Legitimately Point To Science Or Medicine To Back Up Their Claims.” PERRY: “Banning widespread access to a vaccine that can prevent cancer is short-sighted policy. Critics cannot legitimately point to science or medicine to back up their claims.” Gov. Rick Perry, Remarks In Austin, TX, 5/8/07
Other Republicans Were Dismayed By Perry’s Tone And Content:
Perry’s Own Lieutenant Governor “Chided” Perry For His Remarks, Saying He Was “Disappointed With The Governor’s Comments.” “Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst chided the governor for his frustration with the Legislature. ‘I was a little disappointed with the governor’s comments today,’ said Mr. Dewhurst, who said he believes lawmakers were right on this issue. … ‘The majority of Texans and the majority of the Legislature want to leave that decision to parents. All the governor had to do was talk to us and we would have seen that we have embraced a program where there is an opt-in instead of an opt-out.’ Mr. Dewhurst said.” Christy Hoppe, “Legislature Defeats HPV Mandate.” The Dallas Morning News, 5/9/07
Rep. Dennis Bonnen (R-Angleton): “Just Because You Don’t Want To Offer Up 165,000 11-Year-Old Girls To Be Merck’s Study Group Doesn’t Mean You Don’t Care About Women’s Health.” BONNEN: “I think it’s offensive that the governor wants to use cancer victims as his backdrop for an issue that he has grossly mismanaged. … The governor has missed the point that just because you don’t want to offer up 165,000 11-year-old girls to be Merck’s study group doesn’t mean that you don’t care about women’s health, it doesn’t mean that you don’t care about young girls and more importantly, doesn’t mean that parents shouldn’t be making the decisions about their medical choices.” Christy Hoppe, “Legislature Defeats HPV Mandate,” The Dallas Morning News, 5/9/07
But Perry stood by his order for years. Now that he wants to be president, however, he is apologizing for it. While visiting Iowa recently, Perry said, “We backed up and took a look at what we did.” In New Hampshire he said “I didn’t do my research well enough.” Des Moines Register:
Perry's Texas is no health care model
“No, he’s not. He’s just another guy. [On Pat Toomey being a powerful lobbyist]
“I had no idea Mike Toomey represents Merck.” (
Evan Smith, Texas Monthly, May 2007)
He claims the forced vaccination that caused death and gave handouts to his buddies was somehow a “pro-life” stance. Do you believe him?
“This is a rare opportunity to act, and as a pro-life governor, I will always take the side of protecting life.” (
Tom Bevan, Real Clear Politics, June 4, 2011)
Media Quotes:
From the Austin American Statesman/ Politifact Texas:
Tried to bypass legislature in mandating HPV vaccine-
When Gov. Rick Perry issued an executive order in 2007 requiring all Texas girls to receive a vaccine against the human papillomavirus before entering the sixth grade, lawmakers balked and blocked it.
Critics said the vaccine, Merck & Co.'s Gardasil, was too new to declare safe. Some said too that Perry's order would infringe on parental rights or give girls a false sense of security, leading them to be sexually active too young.(
Politifact)
While Governor, Perry Made An Unsuccessful Attempt To Require That Sixth-Grade Girls Receive A Sexually Transmitted Disease Vaccine As A Condition Of School Enrollment:
In 2007, Perry Issued An Executive Order Mandating That All Sixth-Grade Girls In Texas Receive A Controversial STD Vaccine Called Gardasil.
“But in Texas, Gov. Perry chose to bypass the legislature and on Feb. 2, 2007, he issued an executive order making Texas the first state in the country requiring all sixth-grade girls to receive the three-shot vaccination series (which cost about $120 per shot). Conservatives slammed Perry for promoting what they saw as an intrusion by the state into private health decisions of parents and their children.” (
Tom Bevan, Real Clear Politics, June 4, 2011)
Departure from Conservatism:
State mandated vaccinations - “
His most significant departure from the conservative base came in 2007, when he bypassed the Texas Legislature and signed an executive order mandating that all girls entering the sixth grade receive a vaccine that helps protect from some strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted disease that can cause cervical cancer.” (RCP -
Rick Perry's Gardasil Problem)
“Perry Found An Unlikely Ally In The New York Times Editorial Page, Which Congratulated Him On The Decision.” Tom Bevan, “Rick Perry’s Gardasil Problem.” Real Clear Politics. 6/14/11
The GOP-Dominated Texas Legislature Overturned The Order By A Combined 149-22 Vote. Tom Bevan, “Rick Perry’s Gardasil Problem.” Real Clear Politics. 6/14/11
The National Vaccine Information Center And The Journal Of American Medicine Have Raised Questions About The Safety Of Gardasil. “[T]wo years later the National Vaccine Information Center issued a report raising serious questions over the harmful side effects of the drug. A few months after that, an editorial on Gardasil in the Journal of the American Medical Association declared that ‘serious questions regarding the overall effectiveness of the vaccine needed to be answered and that more long-term studies were called for.” Tom Bevan, “Rick Perry’s Gardasil Problem.” Real Clear Politics. 6/14/11
Perry’s “old buddy” business KILLS:
“Texas Gov. Rick Perry is so enthusiastic about Gardasil that a week ago, he ordered all girls in the state to be immunized before entering sixth grade…
“…a rush to make it mandatory, less than eight months after FDA approval, could have detrimental consequences.
“…no one will know the complete picture until more people are vaccinated for more time. At the moment, Gardasil is so new that scientists aren't sure how long it's effective for.” (
USA Today, February 8, 2007)
Dangers of Gardasil
“…two years later the
National Vaccine Information Center issued a report raising
serious questions over the harmful side effects of the drug.
“A few months after that, an editorial on Gardasil in the
Journal of the American Medical Association declared that "serious questions regarding the overall effectiveness of the vaccine" needed to be answered and that more long-term studies were called for.
(
Tom Bevan, Real Clear Politics, June 4, 2011)
“The
National Vaccine Information Center, a private vaccine-safety group, compared Gardasil adverse events to another vaccine, one also given to young people, but for meningitis. Gardasil had three times the number of Emergency Room visits - more than 5,000. Reports of side effects were up to 30 times higher with Gardasil.” (
Sharyl Attkisson, CBS News, February 11, 2009)
