Texas Gov. Rick Perry (Gage Skidmore, Creative Commons)

The GOP contenders last sparred over the issue during the last presidential debate when Bachmann attacked Perry for trying to make the vaccine mandatory for teen girls.

"Gov. Perry made a decision where he gave parental rights to a big drug company," said Bachmann.

Perry appeared ready for the attack.

"I got lobbied by a 31-year-old young lady who had stage 4 cervical cancer," said Perry. "The fact is, I erred on the side of life and I will always err on the side of life."

Bachmann denied that she said the HPV vaccine is linked to mental retardation, a claim that medical experts say is false.

She said she "only related" a story a "tearful" mother had told her.

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