On her show Monday night, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow called out South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley for vetoing a bill that would have allowed free HPV vaccinations for girls. The bill was intended to prevent the spread of the cancer-causing sexually transmitted disease.
"Being against cancer in the Repubican Party is a scandal now," she said. "At least, being against cervical cancer is a scandal now. What, because there's a lady cancer, maybe? There is a vaccine to prevent this kind of cancer. What is the problem?"
Maddow noted that as a state senator, Haley had co-sponsored legislation that would have required HPV vaccinations for girls entering seventh grade. Haley now says sponsoring the bill was a mistake.
During the Republican primary debates, Texas Gov. Rick Perry received criticism for signing an executive order mandating the HPV vaccine for young girls. After being unanimously condemned by his rival candidates, Perry said the move was a mistake.
More than 12,000 women are expected to develop cervical cancer in 2012, according to the American Cancer Society. More than 4,200 women are expected to die from cervical cancer this year. The rate of HPV-related throat cancers has also been on the rise.
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