HPV Vaccine

[LUV2EDU]

The HPV vaccine that prevents cervical cancer is recommended for 11- and 12-year-old girls.

 

Would you make your 11 or 12 year old daughter get the HPV vaccination shot or would you give them a choice? Why or why not?

[Plucky]

I am waiting on this vax and not letting my dd get it. I'm not giving her a choice. She's only 12 and could be easily swayed by the advertising.

[Veritaserum]

No way. If she wants to when she's 18 years or older, she can do the research and make a decision based on her risk factors. It's too new and too understudied for me to feel at all comfortable giving it to any of my dds.

[WishboneDawn]

I think I would give her a choice simply because I feel 11 or 12 is a good age to start learning to make informed medical choices. The HPV vaccine is probably a good place to start as I wouldn't really sweat it regardless of what choice my daughter made.

[sleepy]

Here's a link to a recent discussion of the HPV/Gardasil vaccine:

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89283&highlight=gardasil

[Holly IN]

We will not allow our dd to get this vaccine. I want to see good solid 100% zero side effects. They didn't test this vaccine very long. So NO WAY!!

 

Holly

[LisaKinVA]

Nope, not forcing it on her. My girls can make that decision for themselves when they are 18.

 

Just to clarify -- the vaccine doesn't really prevent against cervical cancer... it prevents some forms of HPV (commonly known as genital warts, an STD) which can cause cervical cancer in some women.

 

My question is... why aren't they giving it to boys too? I mean, they are the ones passing it to the girls (usually) in the first place. Don't the boys need to be protected from genital warts too? Is it not safe for the boys? I'd almost think it would be safer, because boys make fresh swimmers all the time, but the girls eggs are with her from birth ... until they are gone.

[LUV2EDU]

Nope, not forcing it on her. My girls can make that decision for themselves when they are 18.

 

Just to clarify -- the vaccine doesn't really prevent against cervical cancer... it prevents some forms of HPV (commonly known as genital warts, an STD) which can cause cervical cancer in some women.

 

My question is... why aren't they giving it to boys too? I mean, they are the ones passing it to the girls (usually) in the first place. Don't the boys need to be protected from genital warts too? Is it not safe for the boys? I'd almost think it would be safer, because boys make fresh swimmers all the time, but the girls eggs are with her from birth ... until they are gone.

 

Check this article out about boys http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ci_12041385

 

[Perry]

 

My question is... why aren't they giving it to boys too? I mean, they are the ones passing it to the girls (usually) in the first place. Don't the boys need to be protected from genital warts too? Is it not safe for the boys? I'd almost think it would be safer, because boys make fresh swimmers all the time, but the girls eggs are with her from birth ... until they are gone.

 

 

The first studies were done in girls. They had always planned to study it in boys, but girls were the first priority. Now that the male studies have been completed, it will probably be recommended for them sometime this year.

 

Article

[Rose in BC]

.

[tricia]

No choice here. They are not getting it.

[Kalypso]

No, we will not get this one.

[emmsmama]

Too many bad side effects have been reported for me to feel ok about this vax.

 

:iagree: My daughter won't be gettting it, unless she chooses to when she is at an age to choose for herself.

[Deb in NZ]

public health nurses are giving the vax to all teenage girls in PS here. I've left the choice up to dd. Dd does not see a need for the vax now & wants to see more research done before even considering it. There has been a lot of one-sided publicity on TV regarding the vax here in NZ.

 

JMHO,

[dhudson]

My dd won't be getting in, seems too dangerous for it's purported benefits.

[LUV2EDU]

I am so glad that the HPV vaccination was not made mandatory by law. When I first heard that they wanted to force families to get the vaccination for their dd's, I thought they were trying to use them as guinea pigs.

[TravelingChris]

It is one of the required vaccines here but you can opt out. Since I don't send my kids to PS, I don't worry about it. Neither wants any extra shots and I don't to take the chance with this vaccine at this time.

[mamaof2andtwins]

No, my oldest dd has not received it, and my younger girls will not get it unless they chose to as adults.

 

Jennie

[MeanestMomInMidwest]

Just today I had a conversation about this vac and how if it were all about disease eradication, it would be for both genders. The cost is prohibitive, though. We also had a conversation about why healthcare issues have to be politicized.

[Mommyof4ks]

Nope, mine will not get it until she is 18 if she chooses too get it then.

 

As the mother of a childhood cancer survivor there is no way I will put a disease on purpose into a child of mine that is known to cause cancer in some people. The side effects are a bit scary too.

[keptwoman]

No way! I have so many concerns about that vaccine.

I would say absolutely not until 16. At 16 we would sit down and look at ALL the information... not just the stuff the drug companies are giving us and then I'd allow DD to make an informed decision. My choice would be no way no how not ever but at some point kids need to have a say.

[Mrs_JWM]

I'm curious if people react so strongly to this because HPV is a sexually-transmitted disease, or do most of you who choose not to have your children get this vax also delay or refuse other vaccines? Hepatitis B is also sexually transmitted, and all of the other vaccines have side effects, too. Some are worse than Gardasil's. Also, this vaccine has been in development for over 20 years. Finally, according to the CDC, "Gardasil has less than half the average percentage of serious reports. These are anecdotal reports, and 'it is important to note that a report to VAERS does not mean there is a connection between the vaccine and the event. It means the event took place following vaccination.' The FDA and CDC said that with millions of vaccinations 'by chance alone some serious adverse effects and deaths' will occur in the time period following vaccination, but have nothing to do with the vaccine."

[Valerie in Chicago]

MAKE them? No.

 

Do the research with them and try to be a help as they make their own decision about it (including a conversation with out pediatrician, whom I adore)? Yes.

[keptwoman]

I'm curious if people react so strongly to this because HPV is a sexually-transmitted disease, or do most of you who choose not to have your children get this vax also delay or refuse other vaccines?

For me personally no that has nothing to do with my decision. I fully expect DD to have sex and most likely with more than one person. I expect her to use proper protection when doing so, but that also has nothing to do with it.

 

My concern is that I don't think this vaccine is the answer to cervical cancer or even HPV and who knows what other HPVs will begin to mutate into cancer when these can't any more. My concerns are waaaay to long to go into here.

 

I used to be very pro-vaccination without much effort at educating myself. But I've swung quite strongly in the other direction now that I've started to think about and look into it. I am not totally anti, I personally would always vax my kids against Hep B as it's SO nasty and SO easy to catch. But I take these decisions on a case by case basis.

[Veritaserum]

I'm curious if people react so strongly to this because HPV is a sexually-transmitted disease, or do most of you who choose not to have your children get this vax also delay or refuse other vaccines? Hepatitis B is also sexually transmitted, and all of the other vaccines have side effects, too. Some are worse than Gardasil's. Also, this vaccine has been in development for over 20 years. Finally, according to the CDC, "Gardasil has less than half the average percentage of serious reports. These are anecdotal reports, and 'it is important to note that a report to VAERS does not mean there is a connection between the vaccine and the event. It means the event took place following vaccination.' The FDA and CDC said that with millions of vaccinations 'by chance alone some serious adverse effects and deaths' will occur in the time period following vaccination, but have nothing to do with the vaccine."

 

We're selective and delayed vaxxers anyway. :) Gardasil concerns me particularly because of its potential impact on reproductive health. I'm not "afraid" of it because it "might encourage sexual activity". For me it's purely a risk/benefit analysis. :)

[Anne in S'pore]

I got this vaccine for myself, as did some of my friends, and if I had daughters we would want them to get it before they got married.

 

I doubt there is such a thing as a 100% no-side-effects vaccination or medication.

 

Anne

[Perry]

Gardasil concerns me particularly because of its potential impact on reproductive health. :)

 

Could you elaborate on this? What kinds of potential problems are you concerned about? And what would the mechanism be?

 

I don't understand why this is a concern. People don't worry that the hepatitis vaccine may cause liver problems down the road, or that the polio vaccine might affect muscles. If there were a vaccine against Helicobacter pylori (associated with stomach cancer) would you worry about potential effects on the gastrointestinal system?

 

I'm just trying to understand what people's concerns are about Gardasil and reproductive health. Thanks.

[LUV2EDU]

I'm curious if people react so strongly to this because HPV is a sexually-transmitted disease, or do most of you who choose not to have your children get this vax also delay or refuse other vaccines? Hepatitis B is also sexually transmitted, and all of the other vaccines have side effects, too. Some are worse than Gardasil's. Also, this vaccine has been in development for over 20 years. Finally, according to the CDC, "Gardasil has less than half the average percentage of serious reports. These are anecdotal reports, and 'it is important to note that a report to VAERS does not mean there is a connection between the vaccine and the event. It means the event took place following vaccination.' The FDA and CDC said that with millions of vaccinations 'by chance alone some serious adverse effects and deaths' will occur in the time period following vaccination, but have nothing to do with the vaccine."

 

"... the new concern following reports that out of the 8 million girls who have received the vaccine since 2006, more than 7,000 cases of "adverse events" -- everything from nausea to paralysis -- are popping up. Even scarier -- 15 deaths have occurred around the same time that the vaccine was given.

 

What's the deal? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed 10 deaths, but none of them were linked to the vaccine. As the drug's manufacturer Merck put it, these "adverse events" don't mean that there's a link to Gardasil -- just that the events happened after vaccination.

This could all add up to "an extremely unfortunate coincidence," pediatrician Dr. Cara Natterson told MomLogic.com. "The FDA and CDC will continue to probe the situation aggressively."

 

http://tyrashow.warnerbros.com/2008/07/is_gardasil_safe.php

 

 

 

 

The statements highlighted in black, is enough for any parent to show concern.

 

[being Sarcastic] "Sorry ma'am, but it is just a coincidence that your healthy child died after she was given Gardasil.

 

Do you really think that a parent would allow the vaccination of their child, after reading these statements [rhetorical]?

Edited April 15, 2009 by LUV2EDU

[Carol in Cal.]

I never use new medicines. And I use medicines pretty sparingly.

 

I delayed the chicken pox vaccine for several years beyond the recommendation as well as this one.

 

The fact that this is for an STD doesn't play very much into the decision, except to make it an easier one to justify--lowers the downside risk of not doing it quite a bit as my DD is 12 and homeschooled.

 

But I'm not kidding myself that despite my careful conservative teaching I can be sure that this will never be a risk for her. And I know someone personally who caught this from her ex-DH as he was in the process of leaving her faithful self for another woman. Ugh. And HPV is pretty common and not easily detected in men so easy to transmit. It's a good thing to vaccinate against, IMO. I just want to wait until there is more good data on a larger population that attests to its safety.

[sweetTN]

Nope. Far too little information on potential side affects. I disagree with putting man made chemicals into my body unless absolutely necessary.

[Mrs_JWM]

I appreciate the thoughtful responses to my post! We're vax delayers ourselves and have written a more realistic schedule so that we can (hopefully) pinpoint any adverse reactions to one vax (or one combo - my nemesis!). We haven't had any reactions, thankfully, but when a little one gets poked in every appendage , I just worry that it will be harder to narrow down the one that caused a systemic issue, as opposed to a vax site issue.

 

We're still up in the air about Gardisil, but our daughter is three, so...

[Pamela H in Texas]

I wouldn't dream of giving this one after researching it. When she's an adult, she can make her own choice. However, in our case, I'm pretty sure of her choice considering what she knows.

[Liza Q]

Both my older girls have read about it and are against it at this time. I am theoretically open to a vaccine of this sort for adult women if it were proven safe and effective - but Gardasil does not seem to be either, at least not enough!

 

That said, both my ob/gyn and pediatrican advised against it for our girls.

[Tutor]

No way. If she wants to when she's 18 years or older, she can do the research and make a decision based on her risk factors. It's too new and too understudied for me to feel at all comfortable giving it to any of my dds.

 

This is our approach as well.

[Tree House Academy]

I don't have a daughter, but my best friend has a 10 1/2 year old daughter and we have discussed this shot at length. Young girls have died from this shot and I am sorry, but HPV is a common virus that CAN cause cervical cancer. That doesn't mean it WILL and cervical cancer is most easily discovered and treated when caught early by having routine paps. I am so afraid this shot will make young girls decide they don't "need" regular paps because they are "protected" when that is just not correct at all. I also would not want my friends' daughter to be one of the few that have a reaction and actually DIE for something that was not a death sentence were she to get the actual disease!

[LUV2EDU]

I don't have a daughter, but my best friend has a 10 1/2 year old daughter and we have discussed this shot at length. Young girls have died from this shot and I am sorry, but HPV is a common virus that CAN cause cervical cancer. That doesn't mean it WILL and cervical cancer is most easily discovered and treated when caught early by having routine paps. I am so afraid this shot will make young girls decide they don't "need" regular paps because they are "protected" when that is just not correct at all. I also would not want my friends' daughter to be one of the few that have a reaction and actually DIE for something that was not a death sentence were she to get the actual disease!

 

Good point!

[lynn]

Absolutely not.

[Mary in VA]

Just wanted to point out that this thread is 5 months old and was resurrected by a visitor.

[mommaduck]

My child will not be getting this vaccine. Period.

[Krista in LA]

No way. If she wants to when she's 18 years or older, she can do the research and make a decision based on her risk factors. It's too new and too understudied for me to feel at all comfortable giving it to any of my dds.

:iagree: Our ped mentioned it at her last checkup and even he said he doesn't feel comfortable giving it to his teenage dd's at this point.

[sleepymommy]

No way, I couldn't be paid to do it.

[Hikin' Mama]

We won't allow her to get the vaccine. I will, however, teach her how she can prevent getting the virus.

[Tree House Academy]

I already posted here...thread was resurrected by someone with no prior posts. Hmmm

Edited September 24, 2009 by Tree House Academy

[kmacnchs]

you really think your 11/12 yo dd is being physical with a boy? then yes...if not, there is no reason to.

 

because there is SO much advertising about it, I wanted to get it right before I turned 27 (that's the cut-off) but I was pg so I talked to my OBGYN about it and she asked why I wanted it since I was in a monogomous relationship and neither one of us had ever been with anyone else...duh! I guess that is what advertising does - makes us turn off our brains.

 

HPV is an STD so there is no reason to get it unless one is being sexually promiscuous or is with someone who has been.

[DesertDweller]

No way. If she wants to when she's 18 years or older, she can do the research and make a decision based on her risk factors. It's too new and too understudied for me to feel at all comfortable giving it to any of my dds.

 

:iagree:

[Elizabeth Conley]

There seems to be a broad perception here that the gardasil vaccine was rushed to market. In fact, we've waited over 70 years since research first began on this vaccine. The generations of women who waited are now too old to be given the vaccine in the U.S.

 

When I asked my doctor to give my daughter the gardasil vaccine, he told me it was too controversial in our area. He was afraid to give the vaccine to his patients, because he didn't want his offices picketed by angry protesters. He was willing to issue the prescription, but we had to find someone to administer the vaccine.

 

There were 2 pharmacies in our city that would inject the vaccine, but there was a catch. Our insurer would only pay for the vaccine if it was injected in a doctor's office under the doctor's supervision. On we searched. Suspicious gynecologists didn't want to risk vaccinating a child who was not their patient.

 

Finally, in desperation we called our Naval hospital. We're veterans, and if needed care cannot be provided in the local civilian community, the Naval Hospital is obligated to provide the care. Thankfully, we had finally found sympathetic ears. Without fanfare, within a few hours our daughter began the vaccine series at a small Navy medical clinic in our region.

 

All I ask of you who are dead set against this vaccine is that you respect the choices of the rest of us. There is way to much hysteria surrounding this vaccine.

 

Cool it!

[AuntieM]

Haven't read all the replies, but at dd's 10yo check up, our homeschool friendly ped said that he was obliged to offer this immunization, but that if it turned out to be a good vaccine, she would be able to get it up until about the age of 25 with the same protection level, as long as she got it prior to becoming sexually active. Basically, there's no reason to give this to a 10 or 12 year old girl.

 

Time and truth walk hand in hand (Watchman Nee?). We are waiting this one out.

[ThatCyndiGirl]

you really think your 11/12 yo dd is being physical with a boy? then yes...if not, there is no reason to.

 

because there is SO much advertising about it, I wanted to get it right before I turned 27 (that's the cut-off) but I was pg so I talked to my OBGYN about it and she asked why I wanted it since I was in a monogomous relationship and neither one of us had ever been with anyone else...duh! I guess that is what advertising does - makes us turn off our brains.

 

HPV is an STD so there is no reason to get it unless one is being sexually promiscuous or is with someone who has been.

 

 

That is a very naive stance.

 

My cousin almost died from cervical cancer. Proof that just "being a virgin until you get married" is no guarantee.

 

My daughter will get this series of vax. No question. I agree that there is WAY TOO MUCH HYPE about his particular vax and the STD component of it just makes it even moreso. How sad.

 

And, yes, this thread was resurrected by a visitor with an agenda. (this one single post and an ad as the only text in his sig line). His post has been reported.

[kmacnchs]

That is a very naive stance.

 

My cousin almost died from cervical cancer. Proof that just "being a virgin until you get married" is no guarantee.

 

My daughter will get this series of vax. No question. I agree that there is WAY TOO MUCH HYPE about his particular vax and the STD component of it just makes it even moreso. How sad.

 

And, yes, this thread was resurrected by a visitor with an agenda. (this one single post and an ad as the only text in his sig line). His post has been reported.

 

I would say trusting, not naive...but that's just me. I know that 50% of all HPV occurences are people that are married but I can speak for myself and my husband, that's all...and the fact that if you are not sexually active there is NO reason to get the vaccine...which is what the OP was asking about.

[Cera]

My children can make the decision when they are 18 but I will not recommend it. The doctors/nurses we are close to are all opting out for their kids. (and yes, I know news stories are biased but in this case I happen to agree with these)

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/07/eveningnews/main4239462.shtml

 

http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/08/28/gardasil-researcher-cautions-parents/