Perry fires back over vaccine flak

Star-Telegram 02/23/2007 Perry fires back over vaccine flak: "Gov. Rick Perry angrily defended his embattled order to vaccinate Texas schoolgirls against the virus that causes cervical cancer, saying it would have been irresponsible to ignore Merck & Co.'s ideas for requiring the shots statewide."

Texans air hopes, fears on vaccine

Star-Telegram 02/20/2007 Texans air hopes, fears on vaccine: "Heather Burcham doesn't have time to sort through abstract arguments about whether requiring sixth-grade girls to be vaccinated against the virus that causes some kinds of cervical cancer should be up to the parents or the state."

Families File Lawsuit To Block Vaccine Order

cbs11tv.com - Families File Lawsuit To Block Vaccine Order: "A group of Dallas-area families have filed a lawsuit seeking to block Gov. Rick Perry's executive order to vaccinate Texas schoolgirls against the virus that causes cervical cancer."

Does Perry really have the power? | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Texas Southwest

Does Perry really have the power? Dallas Morning News News for Dallas, Texas Texas Southwest: "AUSTIN – A lot of lawyers and legislators and some judges don't think Gov. Rick Perry is as powerful as he thinks he is. And basically, they have the absence of law on their side. "

Editorial: How does it look, Rick?

Editorial: How does it look, Rick?: "Perry accepted $5,000 from the political action committee for Merck. The company produces Gardasil, which by Perry’s directive would be administered to all female sixth-graders in Texas unless parents opt out.
The target is a killer: a sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer. Texas legislators nonetheless have lined up in numbers to block Perry’s move. They call it too presumptive, both toward families and toward the lawmaking process."

Perry's vaccine order in trouble

Star-Telegram 02/22/2007 Perry's vaccine order in trouble: "AUSTIN -- In a stinging rebuke of Gov. Rick Perry, a legislative panel dominated by his fellow Republicans voted Wednesday to nullify his order that all girls be vaccinated for the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer before they could enter the sixth grade."

HPV Timeline

A list of important dates related to Gov. Rick Perry's mandate requiring all sixth-grade girls to be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus, or HPV. Merck & Co.'s Gardasil vaccine is the only such vaccine on the market.
June 8: The Food and Drug Administration approves Gardasil for use in girls and women ages 9 to 26.
June 29: An influential government advisory panel recommends that 11- and 12-year-old girls be routinely vaccinated against the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer.
Aug. 15: Two Perry staffers meet with a Merck lobbyist for an ``HPV Vaccine update,'' documents obtained by The Associated Press show. Deirdre Delisi, Perry's chief of staff, has lunch with another Merck lobbyist, Mike Toomey, her predecessor in the governor's office. Perry spokesman Robert Black said he did not know what they discussed.
Oct. 16: Delisi meets with budget director and other aides to discuss the cost of giving the vaccine for free to young women on Medicaid, the documents show.
Nov. 1: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adds Gardasil to the federal Vaccines for Children program, which provides free vaccines to children through age 18 who cannot afford it.
Nov. 7: Perry is re-elected with 39 percent of the vote.
Nov. 10: Delisi meets with Toomey, the documents show. Black said he does not know what they discussed.
Jan. 5: Delisi meets with Toomey and another man, the documents show. Black said he does not know what they discussed.
Feb. 2: Perry issues executive order mandating the vaccine for schoolgirls.
Feb. 21: House public health committee passes bill aimed at overriding Perry's order.