Vaccination

I am 41 yrs old, have a degree in biochemistry, and have 2 daughters old enough to get this vaccine. I will not do it. the problem i have is that it only 'protects' against only a small percentage of strains of hpvs. condoms will offer better protection against all strains of hpv, aids, all other sexually transmitted diseases, and pregnancy. (of course abstaining would work best!). don't be fooled by the marketing. most docs are just puppets to the drug companies, sad but true. educating my girls on how to protect themselves will help them more than a shot.

This will be one vaccine my daughter will definitely NOT get. There have been reports of girls dying from this vaccine, passing, out, etc. I definitely feel that the risks severely outweigh the benefits. Plus, this vaccine only prevents certain types of hpv - there are tons of types out there. So even with this vaccine you still have to be worried about hpv. I definitely say to do more research - I think you will be shocked with what you find.

I just read on another site that (from a mom on www.justmommies.com): Gardasil went on sale in June 2006. As of the end of August 2007, the number of gardasil related adverse events recorded by VAERS (vaccine adverse event reporting system) has grown to 3,779, including 8 deaths.

I'm the mom of a 14 year old, and I myself have the virus (hpv) this vaccine *may* protect women from. Some of the reasons I object to this vaccine are: there are 100s of strains of HPV, this vaccine protects against only a few of them. Considering how prolific the virus is, it's entirely possible this vaccine will lead to stronger mutations of the virus. The hype around this vaccine uses scare tactics. It plays on our fears of cancer. HPV doesn't always or even frequently cause cervical cancer. The virus often lays dormant, never causing an issue for the carried. When it does become active, regular pap smears should detect & the woman's doctor will suggest what course of action is best- it's not cancer at that stage, it's pre-cancerous cells which may also not become cancer even if untreated. I feel our health care dollars would be much better invested in promoting & educating women about yearly pap smears.
I read through the responses here after posting & just had to come back to edit my response.
It really irks me that so many people have such blind faith in their doctors, and are so quick to dismiss the experiences or research of other "regular" people. Your doctor's "training" on this product or any other was likely done by reps of the manufacture. Pharm. companies host events promoting their products; vacations, luncheons, dinners whatever and the doctors attending hear a sales pitch for the new cure-all. Not much different than the tactics used by telemarketers selling time share condos. Your average GP or pedi is no more involved with the research or testing of a drug than you or I. If your pedi has a child, perhaps they have chosen to do some independent reading on a subject or perhaps they too blindly follow the suggestions of the pharm companies or the government. But regardless, no one has the same vested interest in your child's well being as you do. I am not saying because of my opinion you shouldn't vax your child. I am saying this is my opinion, keep researching to find your own. Doctors are not infallible. Just a couple of decades ago, women with a risk of miscarriage were given DES, the effects of which their daughters are still suffering from today. Just a few decades ago women with morning sickness were given phlymidiline (spelling way off- caused flippers to grow instead of hands). If other moms are able to teach from their experiences, we'd be foolish not to consider their opinions.

I wanted to add my two cents. I would not recommend this to anyone to do. The risks FAR outweigh the "good". Research, research and research!

Hi Rosann,
I wouldn't do it. There have been so many reports of bad side effects. My opinion, for what it's worth is that they are using this generation of young women as guinea pigs.
This vaccine "protects" against genital warts(which is what causes this type of cervical cancer).
When the state of Texas was trying to make it mandatory, much information was revealed about the manufacturer... and the big push comes because they are in financial trouble. Here are a couple of links you can go to, to check this vaccine out.
http://skylarkofvaleron.blogspot.com/2006/06/fda-approves...

http://www.vaclib.org/basic/tenpenny/dangerofgardasil.html

Good luck with your decision. I personally would choose to teach my daughter safe/smart sex, the dangers of unprotected sex, and abstinence (for as long as possible)

I am the mother of a 26 year old son, and a 19 year old daughter. Both incredibly awesome kids!

are you familiar with the phrase "Big Pharma"? Even if not...it should give you an inkling that many people think that as it stands, the AMA might not always have your best interests at heart. Too many drugs, too many invasive tests, too much surgery, too many vaccinations. At least this is one you can refuse. I do not know what I would do, however, if my daughter requested it.

Please don't be scared off by stories you read on the internet (which are not coming from legitimate medical sources- you can find anything you want on the internet, that doesn't make it fact) Your doctor knows far, far better what the effects of the vaccine will be than a bunch of women on a chat board do. If you could prevent your daughter from the possibility of getting cervical cancer then as a mother you should! Period. Think about how you would feel if you did not vaccinate her and then she did get cervical cancer down the line. As someone with a family history of ovarian and uterine cancer, I urge you to do anything you can in order for your daughter never to have to go through something like that. Listen to your doctor and vaccinate!

Hi R.:

If you are referring to the new vaccine for the HPV virus to protect your daughter against cervical cancer, I would do some research on the internet about the possible side effects of the drug first. If you research the HPV, it is a virus usually transmitted intimate relations. I know because my friend who is also 48 years old just got told her daughter (age 26) has HPV, and has some changes in her cervical health. They are watching her now for possible cancer changes due to having it. I would say as a Mom take time to research HPV, the new vaccine, and then go with your gut feeling. Moms are usually pretty intuitive about their kids and what's best for them.

With any vaccine there are risks of rare side effects, but overall it seems like a very good way to cut down on cervical cancer and I would certainly give my daughter every little bit of protection I could. As for the promoting sex thing - the vaccine only protects against a few strains and not against HIV, so any child that gets decent and responsible sex education shouldn't be thinking the vaccine is any sort of ticket to risk free unprotected sex. Also, even if your daughter is abstinent until marriage she could still get HPV from her husband if he had not been abstinent. So why not protect her? I have sons and think I will get them vaccinated when the time comes if it is a possibility. To protect their future partners. Men can carry and transmit HPV although they do not get any symptoms themselves.

Pro Pro Pro! You have to, everyone does, come to terms that their daughters will someday be sexually active. I wish it had been around for me, because everyone I know...seriously, young and old has this disease. I had precancer cells a few times, had a few different procedures done, its always going to be there, and Ill always have to worry itll come back worse. Do it do it do it! My daughters will get it when they are of age thats for sure. If you could protect you kids from forms of leukemia or breastcancer with a vaccine, would you do it? YES, So why would it even be a question for anyone is beyond me. Do it for her.

I actually spoke with my midwife about this same issue, and as I am not in the place to make this decision just yet (3yr & 1yr), I'll just pass on her advice. Talk to your kids. This is the perfect opportunity to open that door WIDE open. Realize that even if your daughter does not have sex until she is married, the chances of her husband having done the same are fairly small. HPV is a common sexually transmitted disease that many don't know that they have until there is a problem (myself included). There are also many different strains of this virus that manifest themselves in different ways. This vaccine does not protect against all strains of HPV or even all the strains that may cause cervical cancer. The most important part of her advice was that this vaccine is so new to the market, if you believe that your daughter can wait, then within the next couple of years there will be more information and better technology that can help you both make a better educated decision. I would also ask her pediatrician about the pros and cons of having this vaccine at her age and how it would affect her specifically. Take time to really think it over and ask ANY question that you or your daughter may have. God Bless.

All pros, have not heard cons, other than a shot. Having gone through +PAP, biopsies, and a LEEP for pre-cancerous cells I would recommend preventing anything bad that we can. She's at the right age for it too.

I think that these and many other vaccinations are just another way for the drug companies to make money off of uninformed patients. The Gardasil vaccine does NOT prevent cervical cancer, it is only intended to gaurd against the HPV virus(Genetal Warts, a sexually transmitted disease). HPV if left untreated can lead to cancer, but not in all cases. Given the countless research done on the dangers of vaccines due to their toxic ingredients (mercury, formaldehyde, alluminum, diseased animal tissue...); it is wise to avoid any and all unneccessary shots. So many of these new drugs and vaccines on the market have not been tested properly, and our poor children are becoming the guinea pigs now due to a broken health care system. If you talk to your daughter openly and educate her about the dangers of unprotected sex there is simply no need for this potentially harmful vaccine. There are so many books out there on vaccination, I suggest that ALL parents read the book WHAT YOUR DOCTOR MAY NOT TELL YOU ABOUT CHILDRENS VACCINATIONS by Stephanie Cave M.D. Always do extensive research before medicating your children!

Read what Mothering Magazine has to say about it and all vaccines.

I have heard mixed review and risks around this vaccine as well. I have a 12 year old daughter and both her pediat. and I decided to wait justa bit longer until the jury is out on this one. It can pose serious side effects and is not effective for all types of HPV...that said, I get a flu shot every year and it doesn't prevent all types of flus either. Ihave a very open relationship with my daughter and we have discussed the pros and cons together. She knows the risks should she decide to become active at some point in the future (hopefully FAR in the future!!) We will revisit this decision each year at her annual physical, and I will keep researching findings regarding this vaccine. Act in haste, repent at leisure!! Remember, the pharmaceutical companies are making $ with this, and I wouldn't be surprised if some Dr.s are as well.

I think you should definetly have her immunized. I have had many abnormal paps and several cervical biopsies. Its scary...I will def. have my daughter immunized when she hits the age. Be proactive and teach your daughter the importance of gynecological and sexual health!!

I would definately get your daughter vaccinated. It is the only way to prevent her from getting some of the strains of HPV that cause cervical cancer. The injections are painful, but well worth it.

I am a high school science teacher currently home on maternity leave. When I was teaching I taught a class called "Contemporary Issues in Medicine." We discussed this vaccine at length last year in school. I think that a lot of moms believe that giving their daughter this vaccine will lead to their sexual promiscuity. Highly doubtful. The problem is that you can still get genital warts while using protection, because the warts can be found in other places besides the ones that are "covered." Many people who carry the virus do not even know they have it. That being said, if it were my daughter, I would get her the vaccine. Like I tell my students, it's hard enough to find the right person for you to spend the rest of your life with. It's that much harder when you have a communicable disease that can't be cured.

From the CDC website:
Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines and other products since the 1930s. There is no convincing scientific evidence of harm caused by the low doses of thimerosal in vaccines, except for minor reactions like redness and swelling at the injection site. However, in July 1999, the Public Health Service agencies, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and vaccine manufacturers agreed that thimerosal should be reduced or eliminated in vaccines as a precautionary measure.

<b>Since 2001, with the exception of some influenza (flu) vaccines, thimerosal is not used as a preservative in routinely recommended childhood vaccines.

go to:

https://www.nvic.org/Diseases/HPV/HPVHOME.htm

this is a link to the HPV page on the National Vaccine Information Center's web page, there are several links to accurate information, they are non-profit and believe in "informed consent" - they are not ANTI Vaccine OR PRO Vaccine, they are not affiliated with AMA or CDC, but you can learn more about them at the site, and the info they gather is from several sources on all levels, hopes this helps :)

I would definitely recommend it. I am a physician assistant working in internal medicine and recommend it to all my female patients up to age 26. It is best to have the vaccine done before any potential exposure to the virus, via intercourse. Noone wants to think about their child having sex but unfortunately they are getting younger and younger than our generation. I would not even explain to her that it has anything to do with sex but that it is a vaccination to keep her well just like a tetanus shot or MMR. Parents often are concerned that kids will think it gives them a "green light" for sex. I would recommend an open discussion with her bkz unfortunately HIV in teens and 20s is on the rise and herpes also. Abstinence and condoms are the only protection.
Just a note, the drug company making the vaccine is currently testing it on boys (as they pass the HPV to the girls)and for women up to 45 but it has not yet been approved. Also the vaccine only protects against 4 strains. Good luck-- I have 2 daughters, only 3 1/2 and 3 mos. Not looking forward to having "the talk" when my time comes.

I have a 14yr old daughter who received the vaccine last year. I am for giving it. I had pre cancerous cells of my uterus 8 years a go. I had an abnormal pap smear, cramping, and abnormal bleeding. I ended up getting a partial hysterectomy at 31 yrs old. The doctors found I had a tumor also growing in my uterus. She has had her period since she was 10. I have had many talks with her about birth control etc. So for me this was the right way to go for my daughter. I hope this helps you!

I also have a 13 yr old daughter and my doctor told me that the vac. was pushed through very uickly and that it only protects against one kind of cancer and that if she isn't sexually active she would wait. My Doctor thinks a better vaccine will come out before too long.

I am a cervical cancer risk as is one of my nieces, who is a first cousin to my daughters. They will absolutely get the vaccine. When do they administer it? I thought it was when they are older, but maybe there is some newer development?

E

Hi R.-
Although I don't have a little girl yet... I feel pretty strongly about this (as a woman and a nurse). The best way to prevent cervical cancer (or any cancers in your 'girl parts') is to limit the number of sexual partners. Research shows that the more sexual partners a person has the higher her chances for those kinds of cancers are. I think as mothers, it's so important to talk with our kids about this stuff and guide them in the right direction. If we show our daughters how precious they are and teach them how to take care of their bodies (including sexually) then there's no need for the vaccine. I think people are so afraid to talk to their kids about sex and the implications that they need the vaccine to help them feel like they're doing something... but what they really need is to be proactive and involved parents. OK- off my soap box :) Thanks for listening. Best of luck.