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September 14, 2011
Dr. Ronald DePinho, The President of MD Anderson Cancer Center Calls it “Unethical” to Not Support HPV Vaccination
Food for thought. Perhaps the attacks on Rick Perry for his attempt at an Executive Order to get the HPV Vaccine to young girls in Texas will end up doing good – not so much for those using it against him for political gain – but to raise awareness that the vaccine can prevent 80% of cervical and head / neck cancers caused by the HPV virus. Perry’s Executive Order never went into effect because of political opposition, and he now admits he went about it all the wrong way. But he does not back away from his desire to get the vaccine to young girls and young women to try and prevent cervical cancer.
Here is video of Dr. Ronald DePinho, President of the renowned MD Anderson Cancer Center, talking bluntly about the incredible benefits of the HPV vaccine. He calls it is, “not just sound but one of the great scientific advances in the history of medicine.”
Dr. DePinho went on to say that as the father of two young girls, as well as speaking as a physician, “there’s only one path here, which is to support vaccination. To do anything else would be unethical.”
Gov. Rick Perry's 2007 attempt to require that girls in Texas be vaccinated against the cancer-causing human papillomavirus, commonly known as HPV, has become a political hot potato. But Dr. Ronald DePinho, the new president of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, says the vaccine is not just sound but "one of the great scientific advances in the history of medicine."
In last night's GOP presidential debate, Perry faced repeated criticism from other candidates for his HPV push. Michele Bachmann said it was “flat out wrong” to require that “innocent little 12-year-old girls be forced to have a government injection through an executive order.”
Part of Bachmann's critique was that Perry's executive order, which he now says he would handle differently, was the byproduct of cronyism. Perry's former chief of staff, Mike Toomey, was a lobbyist for the drug company Merck, maker of the vaccine, at the time. In interviews following the debate, Bachmann reportedly went even further, suggesting that the vaccine was a "a very dangerous drug" and could cause "mental retardation."
But today, in an interview with the Tribune, DePinho said that as a physician, and the president of a leading cancer research institution and as a father of two young girls, "there's only one path here, which is to support vaccination."
"To do anything else would be unethical," DePinho said.
His recommendation for anyone who opposes the vaccine: "Visit one patient with cervical cancer in an advanced state."
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Wild Thing's comment......
I am glad this Dr. spoke up, maybe it will calm the waters of some of the constant bashing.
We have so much at risk with Obama in office and so many other things we need to be discussing and working hard to get someone elected to beat Obama. Obamacare is HUGE and I for one want to hear from the candidates how will you get rid of it. There are other questions as well, and we need to move on so we can hold the person accountable for what he/ she has said during the campaign about things like Obamacare etc.
Posted by Wild Thing at September 14, 2011 05:47 AM
Comments
Bachmann says one women came up to her and claimed this vaccine caused her daughter to become retarded and Bachmann took it as fact. This woman presented no medical evidence, only what she thinks is the cause and Bachmann is building her case on it.
I used to like Bachmann but she does a lot of misquoting as facts. Also, she was wanting to cut back Veterans Benefits.
Posted by: BobF at September 14, 2011 07:38 AM
This is as strong an endorsement for HPV as there could be. Dr DePinho and MD Anderson Cancer Center are the top experts on cancers.
Gov. Perry went at it wrong, but backed off when confronted by political opposition. He admits he was wrong in making it an executive order.
Michele Bachmann has destroyed her credibility by exaggerating this issue. She should now be history.
Posted by: TomR, armed in Texas at September 14, 2011 12:39 PM
My only problem with the whole thing is the government forcing something on the public. If it were a choice than that would follow the Republic model. Decisions have consequences and the individual has a choice to make. However, what happens when some people get sick from the vaccine? Since they were forced to take the vaccine. Or if they volunteer to take it and also get sick. Regardless, of the vaccine there is always a certain number who will get sick and develop an alergy of some sort.
Basically, they can not sue the government but the drug company.
So to me this smacks of too much government in our lives. Our Republic is suppose to support and defend our rights as individuals not as a group.
Posted by: Mark at September 14, 2011 04:33 PM
My sons weren't allowed to attend school until they got their Hepatitis vaccination. Back in the 60's, this nation eliminated Polio by making it mandatory for kids in school to get vaccinated. I remember having to take some kind of "sugar cube thing" for the vaccination.
Posted by: BobF at September 14, 2011 10:32 PM
Thank you so much for the input and sharing. I really appreciate it.
Posted by: Wild Thing at September 14, 2011 11:59 PM
I agree Bob, we got thePolio vaccine when it first came out, the shot no sugar cube then. But my point is you are being forced by the government to do something against your wil. It should be a choice to maintain the strict guide lines of the Republic. Our Republic is based on Individual Rights and making this choice is up to the individual.
We are either a nation of laws or we are not. The laws can't be set aside for one item then reinstituted for someother whim. Our Constitution and Declaration of Independence are those laws. Liberal interpretation is the reason we are at a point of collapse because someone didn't like the way it was written and bypassed the constitution.
The Constitution was Written for the People, to protect the people from the Government, so individuals have a choice in their life. When the Government says you will do this, they are taking your Right to life away from you and it is no longer yours to protect. This is how, the idea of democracy has come into vogue in this country. We are not a democracy.
Posted by: Mark at September 15, 2011 09:00 AM
