Walking Therein

Hold On, Did We Teleport to Russia Last Night?

Indiana: Bill Requires New Immunization Reporting For Pre-Teen Girls
The Indiana Legislature is working to push through a bill that would
require all private schools to report whether girls between the ages
of 11 to 12 have been immunized against four types of the human
papillomavirus (HPV) that are mainly transmitted by sexual contact.

While under the current language of the bill parents can decide not to
have their girls receive this new vaccine, each school would have to
report to the Department of Health the number of girls that have or
have not received the vaccine.

Senate Bill 327 has been sent to the House and could be voted on in
the next few weeks. Private schools in Indiana should not be required
to report on the immunization status of those who are opposed to this
new, controversial vaccine.

Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is a group of viruses that have about
100 different strains or types. Over 30 of these viruses are sexually
transmitted. While most HPV infections are dealt with by the body's
immune system and no symptoms occur, there are several types that can
cause cancer or genital warts. For more information about HPV see the
Center for Disease Control and Prevention information.

Those who are most likely to get HPV are those who have sex at an
early age, have many sex partners, or have a sex partner who has had
many partners.

However, the only FDA approved HPV vaccine, Gardasil,
is not a cure for HPV or cervical cancer.
Instead the vaccine seeks to prevent an individual from contracting
the four specific types of HPV (6, 11, 16, and 18) which are
responsible for 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts.
There is currently no cure for these sexually transmitted viruses.
Even the FDA and the CDE admit the only "cure" is abstinence before
marriage and a monogamous relationship during marriage.

There have been no long-term studies of the HPV vaccine. Children in
the 9-year-old age group have been monitored for only 18 months and
there have been no studies on the carcinogenic risk or the general
toxicity of the vaccine itself. From July 2006 to the end of 2006,
there were 385 unique reports of adverse events filed with the Vaccine
Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) following the receipt of the
vaccine. Read a Full review of these reports.

Additionally, there is some concern that rushing to mandate the HPV
vaccine for pre-teen girls will not have the intended affect of
preventing cervical cancer. Early immunization may not be effective
because the vaccine could wear off before the person is most
susceptible. Gardasil has only been proven to have five years of
effectiveness. While there appears to be a 10-to-15-year incubation
period for certain HPV types potentially becoming cervical cancer, the
average age a woman contracts cervical cancer is in her mid 40s. For
more information.

Over the past few months, Merck, the pharmaceutical manufacturer of
Gardasil, has lobbied vigorously to mandate the HPV vaccine for middle
school age girls. At present there are over 34 states where HPV bills
have been introduced. A few state legislatures have already defeated
HPV bills this year.

Due to all of the concerns raised about mandating the Gardasil vaccine
to middle school age girls, Merck has abandoned its efforts to lobby
state legislatures to require the vaccine.

1) Please contact your state representative and give him or her this
message in your own words:

"Please oppose Senate Bill 327 as it forces private schools to report
on those who might be opposed to this new vaccine. The decision of
whether parents should have their child immunized against HPV should
be between the family and their doctor. Please work to remove the
reporting requirements of Senate Bill 327."

Please do not identify yourself as a homeschoolers, but instead call
as a concerned parent and constituent.

You can use HSLDA's Legislative Toolbox
to find the name and contact information
for your state representative. You can also contact the Indiana
Legislature at (317) 232-9600 or 1 (800) 382-9842.

Is it just me...

11:15 AM, Thursday, March 1, 2007 .. Posted by weesma

or did this whole issue get slipped in before we heard much about it? The first I heard about it was when the governor of TX had already made it mandatory.

Also what a HUGE conflict of interest for Merck, who stands to make millions off of this, to be lobbying not just for awareness education but for enforcing this across the board!

Thanks for putting this info out on your blog,

Joanna