Here's what you need to know:     4/13/2007

Pharmaceutical giant Merck has developed a vaccine (Gardasil) to prevent cervical cancer caused by certain strains of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection. These strains of HPV can be contracted only through sexual contact. Merck has pushed bills in over 30 state legislatures around the country that would require girls as young as 11 or 12 to be inoculated before entering sixth grade. Merck has asserted that this vaccine is safe to use on little girls as young as nine.

The vaccination involves three shots over a six month period.

Given that the cancer-inducing strains of HPV blocked by the vaccine can be spread only through sexual contact, mandating the HPV vaccine for young girls is unnecessary and an encroachment on parental rights Even Merck has recognized this in recent weeks.

HPV isn't the flu. It isn't the measles. If you cough on someone, they will not get this disease.

From state to state, this issue has come up. In February, Texas Governor Rick Perry shocked the nation when he signed into a law a 2007 executive order mandating this vaccine be given to every young girl in Texas.

Luckily, some vigilant pro-family advocates, like your CWA state leaders, knew what to do. They have been contacting hundreds and thousands of like-minded Americans that value parental responsibility. Texas legislators, with the support of CWA of Texas leaders, have introduced H.B. 1098, a bill that would rescind Governor Perry's order.

But we must be vigilant. It's up to you to make sure your legislator hears your voice. That's why CWA is mobilizing a large pro-family force to defeat the mandate. The only way we can defeat this is if your state representatives hear from you on this issue.

Merck and Company stand to make billions of dollars if this vaccine is mandated across this country. Before they pulled back their lobbying efforts, Merck officials poured money into the campaign war chests of politicians who supported state mandates. For example, Governor Perry received $6,000 in contributions from Merck for his re-election campaign. His former Chief of Staff is now a lobbyist with Merck.

Mandating this vaccine is an assault on parental rights, forcing parents to have their little girls vaccinated well before they are sexually active.

There are other reasons well-informed parents might object to having their daughter vaccinated at such a young age.

• The vaccine has been proven to work for only five years; beyond this point, the vaccine's effectiveness is unknown. This means that if your daughter wants to continue to be protected, she may have to receive a booster. Whether the booster would involve one extra shot or three extra shots is unknown. Abstinent girls would receive the vaccine regimen needlessly.
  
  
• The vaccine is expensive. For the first three shots, your family or insurance company will have to pay about $360. This doesn't include the cost of future boosters.
  
  
• This vaccine hasn't been sufficiently tested. What are the long term effects of this vaccine? Will young girls, who are still developing, be affected when it comes to future child birth?
  
  
• Giving the vaccine to young girls before they are sexually active provides them with a false sense of security, possibly leading to risky sexual behavior that would not have occurred had the threat of cervical cancer been present.
  
  
• Reported side effects after receiving this vaccine include severe headaches, dizziness, temporary loss of vision and loss of consciousness during what seem to be seizures, according to The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.
  
  

It's up to parents armed with information to make an informed choice - for their daughters health. It's not the government's job.

Don't let your state representative take away your responsibility. Please join CWA in fighting this mandate in your state.

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