NASSAU COUNTY CIVIC ASSOCIATION, INC.
"The government is us, we are the government, you and I." Teddy Roosevelt
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NASSAU COUNTY CIVIC ASSOCIATION, INC. "The government is us, we are the government, you and I." Teddy Roosevelt |
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February 12, 2007
Government Knows Best
Mandating the use of the Merck drug Gardasil
Our government is instituted for the common good of its citizens. Government is of the people, by the people and works best when it’s limited. Lately many of our legislators believe that the role of government should involve itself in every aspect of the human condition. The latest effort is proposed legislation that will require all school age girls between the ages of nine to sixteen to be vaccinated with the drug Gardasil in order to attend school.
Currently, school age children who attend school in New York State are required to be vaccinated against a series of communicable diseases such as Measles, Polo, Hepatitis, etc. As these diseases can spread rather quickly in the school setting based on mere exposure, it makes perfect sense to require that children be immunized. The use of the drug Gardasil has nothing to do with preventing the spread of communicable diseases in the school setting.
Gardasil was found to reduce the risk of cervical cancer caused by the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV), however the drug only protects against four strains out of one hundred (with thirty sexually transmitted). Based on the transmission mode of the HPV, it would appear that those who support mandating its use have already concluded that the majority of young girls are sexually active anyway regardless of the role of parents.
Gardasil is manufactured by Merck, the company that manufactured the drug Vioxx. The latter drug was voluntarily recalled by the company after being on the market for five years. While Vioxx reduced the risk of stomach problems, it also increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Based on Merck’s recent track record, it’s reasonable to be concerned about Gardasil as it has been on the market for only one year and its long term effects are unknown.
Merck has acknowledged from their tests that the length of immunity is unknown. The documented risk factors such as family history, diet, smoking, long term use of birth control pills, multiple pregnancies, HIV infection, Chlamydia infection, do not apply to 9-16 year old girls. Most strains of HPV do not lead to cervical cancer and cervical cancer can be prevented by the use of regular PAP testing.
Merck began a marketing campaign in twenty states to push for legislation that would require the use of Gardasil as a vaccination. As a vaccination, Merck would receive legal immunity under current federal law. As Merck is facing a torrent of Vioxx lawsuits, the “marketing” of Gardasil which cost $360 for all three doses would lead to increased demand and increased profits.
No one opposes the idea of making a profit or marketing a drug for voluntary use; however the secretive effort to push for legislation requiring its use is reckless and arrogant. The effort by our elected leaders to mandate its use is an over reach by the state with the assumptive belief that government always knows best versus that of parents.
If a public company can sway public officials by the use of donations and front groups to legally restrict parents from making medical decisions in the best interests of their children, the liberty of every American is at risk. Contact your legislator to ensure that any effort to promote the use of this vaccination be on a voluntary basis.
Note: Assembly member, Amy Paulin (D-Scarsdale) vowed to sponsor this legislation in the Assembly.