That's more like it

Washington State is offering the HPV vaccine to girls for free. In the article, Gov. Christine Gregoire says:

Addressing the Washington State Medical Association's annual legislative assembly and again in a news conference Monday, Gov. Chris Gregoire said such action [requiring the HPV vaccine for entry into school] seemed premature.

"I told the medical association that I was reticent to dictate when I think there is a lot of public education that needs to go on," Gregoire said. "To go out and start just saying everybody mandatorily has to have this is a little bit troublesome for me.

If I were Merck, I'd be scrambling to get the takers to participate in a study on the long-term effects of the vaccine. If, in 2 or 5 or 10 years the country decides to buy into requiring the HPV vaccine, Merck will still stand to make a mint. If they really believe in Gardasil's potential, they can wait.