HPV Vaccine Mandate Stalls in Florida Legislature

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla., /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two separate pieces of
 legislation, designed to mandate vaccinations for the human papillomavirus
 (HPV) for 11- and 12-year old Florida students, appear to have stalled in
 the Florida Legislature. The Florida Policy Roundtable applauds this
 development and urges Floridians to continue to contact state legislators.
     This coincides with concerns expressed publicly by Dr. Diane M. Harper,
 lead researcher in the development of the vaccine, regarding the lack of
 information on the safety and side effects of the vaccine for young
 children. She expressed concern that the zealousness to inoculate all these
 younger girls may very well backfire at the time they need protection the
 most, as recently reported in the Fort Wayne Daily News.
     During deliberations in the Florida House Committee for Pre-K - 12
 Education, Chairwoman Anitere Flores offered substitute language to require
 that parents be informed of the vaccine and its effect on the HPV virus and
 allowed its voluntary use under a recommendation by the Department of
 Health. "This would have been an ideal solution, allowing informed parents
 to make the final decision in consultation with their physicians," stated
 Elaine Merritt, Legislative Director of the Florida Policy Roundtable.
 "Representative Flores understands the importance of keeping parents in
 control of critical medical decisions and not rushing into a policy before
 all the facts are in."
     With the rejection of Representative Flores' amendment, the best case
 scenario would be the complete rejection of both bills and the legislative
 mandates. Merritt stressed, "Citizens need to continue to communicate their
 concerns to state representatives and senators who are poised to finalize
 committee work on these measures in the weeks ahead."
 
 

SOURCE Florida Policy Roundtable