HPV Vaccine-Maker Merck, Perry Cozier Than Claimed

Mental retardation claim has 'no basis in fact,' he says

(NEWSER) - Michele Bachmann made waves this week by claiming that the HPV vaccine can cause mental retardation, and now more critics are piling on—one of whom is Rick Perry. Perry, of course, was the target of Bachmann's original statement; she disagrees with the executive order he issued requiring Texas girls to get the vaccine. And as for her story about a mother who claims her daughter "suffered from mental retardation" after getting the vaccine, Perry says, "I think that was a statement that had no truth in it, no basis in fact," Politico reports. More»

Rush Limbaugh says she's 'jumping the shark' with retardation anecdote

(NEWSER) - Michele Bachmann looks to be pulling back from controversial comments she made about the HPV vaccine after drawing flak from the medical community and others—including Rush Limbaugh, notes Minnesota Public Radio . Bachmann scored points in last night's debate by criticizing Rick Perry's decision to try to mandate the vaccine in girls, calling it an example of misguided big government. In two subsequent TV interviews, she tried to press her advantage, relaying a story about how a mother "told me that her little daughter took that vaccine, that injection, and she suffered from mental retardation thereafter." The vaccine "can have very dangerous side effects," she said. More»

Rick Perry-bashing pays off for rivals

(NEWSER) - It was "attack Rick Perry night" at last night's GOP debate in Florida -—to the extent that even Jon Huntsman got in on the act—and the Texan's rivals succeeded in landing a few blows. Mitt Romney, who wisely ignored the Tea Party debate audience to focus on people watching on CNN, and Michele Bachmann, who tore into Perry over the HPV vaccination issue, emerged from the debate stronger, decides Chris Cillizza at the Washington Post . More»

Male oral HPV worrying experts

(NEWSER) - The Centers for Disease Control has issued official guidelines that boys now receive the HPV vaccine. The vaccine has been recommended for girls since 2006 to protect them from the sexually transmitted human papilloma virus linked to cancers. But because girls get the virus from boys, it "seems appropriate, even fair, for boys to share responsibility for maximizing community immunity," an expert told ABC News recently. The new guidelines follow a health committee vote last year recommending that the CDC modify its policy . The urgency behind HPV vaccines for boys rose last week after a study revealed that that nearly 7% of American teens and adults have oral HPV, a virus which can lead to oral cancer. Men are three times more likely to have oral HPV than women, according to the study. More»

Anti-Romney voters might have found their candidate

(NEWSER) - Mitt Romney snatched an 8-vote victory in Iowa , but a lot of analysts say "man of the hour" Rick Santorum looks like the real winner. He can now portray himself as the clear alternative to Romney, and to win the nomination he "won’t have to outrun the bear, as the old joke goes, he’ll just have to outrun Mitt," a GOP strategist tells Politico . Other takeaways from last night:

• But Santorum shouldn't gloat just yet, writes James Hohmann for Politico, because this pesky thing called reality is also in the room. "He doesn’t have the money or infrastructure to keep up with Romney in New Hampshire, and he hasn’t been in South Carolina since Nov. 12." Sure, he'll grab a ton of headlines this week, but he needs to "dramatically expand his campaign apparatus virtually overnight."