By NATIONAL VACCINE INFORMATION CENTER
Dear Colorado NVIC Supporters and Advocacy Team Members,
Your immediate action is needed to stop SB 146 NOW!
SB 146 would allow minor children in Colorado to consent to vaccines for sexually transmitted diseases (STD), including HPV and Hepatitis B Vaccines, without parental knowledge or consent. The bill also allows for investigations of the effectiveness of a vaccine to prevent infections.
SB 146 is scheduled for action only in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, March 30th at 1:30 PM. No testimony will be taken so it is critical that you call and email Senate Judiciary Committee Members NOW! If the bill passes out of this committee it will move to the full Senate.
SB 146 combines and expands two existing state laws concerning sexually transmitted infections (25-4-401) and HIV treatment and prevention resources (25-4-1411) and is titled, Concerning Modernizing Statutes Related to Sexually Transmitted Infections. Current state law, C.R.S. 25-4-402 allows for minors to consent to testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections without knowledge or consent of the parent, but current law does not allow minors to consent to vaccines.
Because the definition of sexually transmitted infection includes any sexually transmitted infection as designated by the state board that is contagious, this bill and everything in it applies to Hepatitis B and HPV (Human Papillomavirus). Vaccines for Hepatitis B and HPV are considered prevention services and are recommended for children.
SB 146 would do the following:
- Define sexually transmitted infection to include any sexually transmitted infection, regardless of mode of transmission, as designated by the State Board by rule. (page 5)
- Allow minors to consent to prevention services, which would include vaccines, without parental consent or knowledge. (page 14)
- Allow for exemptions to reporting requirements for the investigation of the effectiveness of a vaccine. (Page 9)
- Allow the Colorado State Board of Health to adopt rules it deems necessary to carry out the provisions of the law including addressing the control and treatment of sexually transmitted infections. The rules are binding on all public health agencies, health officers and other persons affected. (page 6)
TALKING POINTS:
- Minors are NOT capable of consenting to vaccination, as they do not know their own medical history or their potential risk factors for adverse reaction.
- Parents need to participate in the healthcare of their children.
- Parents need to be aware if their children have received a vaccination, in case the child has an adverse reaction to it.
- Many families have religious objections to certain vaccinations and parents have a right to refuse a vaccination for their child on such grounds.
- Vaccines Carry a Risk of Harm. Vaccines are pharmaceutical products that carry a risk of injury or death, a fact that was acknowledged by the U.S. Congress in 1986 when it passed the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act. Since 1988, the federal vaccine injury compensation program created under that law has awarded more than $3 billion to children and adults injured by vaccines or to families whose loved ones died from vaccine reactions, although two out of three who apply are denied compensation. The Institute of Medicine in a series of reports on vaccine safety spanning 25 years has acknowledged there is individual susceptibility to vaccine reactions for genetic, biological and environmental reasons that have not been fully defined by science, and doctors often cannot predict ahead of time who will be harmed. Long standing gaps in vaccine safety research
and emerging evidence that certain vaccines do not prevent infection or transmission of disease,
- Vaccine Manufacturers Have No Civil Liability. The 1986 law partially shielded drug companies selling vaccines in the U.S. From civil liability and, in 2011, the US Supreme Court completely shielded vaccine manufacturers from liability for FDA licensed and CDC recommended vaccines. There is no product liability or accountability for pharmaceutical companies marketing federally recommended and state mandated vaccines that injure Americans or cause their death.
- Many New Vaccines are coming, including new vaccines for sexually transmitted diseases. There are several thousand vaccine clinical trials being conducted, including for infectious and non-infectious diseases such as gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HIV/AIDS and genital herpes. Many of these new vaccines in development will be federally recommended for children.
- For more information about Human Papillomavirus Vaccine and Hepatitis B Vaccine – http://www.nvic.org/Vaccines-and-Diseases/HPV.aspx and http://www.nvic.org/Vaccines-and-Diseases/Hepatitis-B.aspx
ACTION NEEDED:
2) Contact your own State Senator and ask him/her to oppose SB 146 if it comes to the full senate for a vote. To find out who represents you in the Colorado Senate you can register/login to the NVIC Advocacy Portal at http://NVICAdvocacy.org. Click on “Check What is Happening in Your State” on the home page or “My State” on the STATE TEAMS Tab. Your personal state legislators are listed on the right side of the page. You can also find your representatives listed by district here – http://www.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2016A/csl.nsf/Directory?openFrameset
You can find your district here – http://openstates.org/co/
*Ellen Roberts, Chair
303-866-4884
*Kevin Lundberg, Vice Chair
303-866-4853
*Irene Aguilar
303-866-4852
*John Cooke
303-866-4451
*Mike Merrifield
303-866-6364
Group Email:
[email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected]
3) Login to the NVIC Advocacy Portal often for additional talking points and for updates. Bills can change many times over the legislative process. http://NVICAdvocacy.org
NVIC Advocacy Team National Vaccine Information Center http://NVIC.org and http://NVICAdvocacy.org
TLB recommends you read more great articles and pertinent information from NVICAdvocacy.org
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