Welcoming All Thoughts on the HPV Vaccine

I have a 3 yr old daughter and I plan on getting her the vaccine when she is about 13 yrs old. Maybe you could wait a couple years and get the vaccine then? That would give it a couple more years to see if any other research or studies are done on it....

Also - I have a close frined who HAS HPV and she'll have that condition for the rest of her life....so I think that it is worth getting the vaccine.

M.,

I know that you have already had many responses, but this is one I feel passionate about. My daughters will not be getting this vaccine and here is why...

It is not a "cancer vaccine" as the commercials would like you to believe...it is an STD vaccine. Abstinence is the best defense, and if my child chooses to have sex, then they are choosing the consequences. I believe that this vaccine gives women the false belief that they will not get cancer, it doesn't altogether prevent cancer anymore than the flu shot prevents the flu in all situations.

Listen, I know that there are many mothers who will choose this vaccine, and maybe it is not altogether bad, but I don't think it is necessary. Give your children the ability to make good decisions, and then let them deal with the consequences of their actions. Yes, something bad could happen to your daughter and this could protect her, but like you said, we don't know what will happen down the road with girls who are getting this vaccine now.

I guess I am a "tough love" mother who would rather have my child get HPV than think that she is protected and can go around doing what she wants because she thinks she cannot get it. I think the fear of STD's is a good thing, and can help guide our children's decisions. Take away the fear and it may become harder to say no in a time of teenage hormonal rage. I believe that the vaccine is false security and as a result can do more harm than good.

I don't know a whole lot about the vaccine, but i do know that i have cervical cancer from HPV. I was diagnosed in august '06 and have had many many surgeries since. There are 2 kinds - the slow growing (someone mentioned it) that takes years to turn into cancer... and then the aggressive adenocarcenoma that is much more life threatening and formed in less than a year for me (i had very regular monitoring). The only way to guarentee it won't come back is a hysterectomy.
Now we're dealing with difficult & painful (physically and emotionally) infertility... our life has began revolving around doctors appointments, I go to the reproductive endocrinologist several times/month and my oncologist i see every 2 months with 1-2 surgical biopsies yearly. And its becoming more likely every day I may never carry my own child in pregnancy. I need a hysterectomy asap - we've been putting it off 1 1/2 yrs already. And it's all because of the cancer.
I have always had responsible sex, didn't even start having sex until i began dating my husband at age 20. I had 2 other partners, and one of those was only a one time thing (both were during a break up with my husband, then boyfriend), so one of the 3 of them passed it along to me... 99.9% of the time I used a condom, so it can happen even to the most responsible of us.... and many women who take birth control don't even use a condom! especially if they're with a long term boyfriend or their husband.
I really wish there were a vaccine that could have prevented all of the pain i've experienced (physical and emotional). But i haven't done enough research to accurately answer your question about the vaccine. Just wanted to shed some light on what cervical cancer may do to you daughter's life.

I would NOT let my 11 year old get that vaccine. If you suspect that your daughter is sexually active, you should make sure that she is getting a pap smear every year or 6 months. If she gets HPV, they can correct it by catching it early. Also, your immune system can clear it up on its own. I am sure that many of our readers have had HPV, unknowingly, and their body fought and cleared it. Here is a link for your review:

http://v.mercola.com/blogs/public_blog/Three-Girls-Died--...

I decided against having my daughters get the vaccine. Hasn't been on the market long enough for them to determine safety. In addition claims to protect against some viruses known to cause cancer but not all.

I'd rather they practice safe sex instead of having this vaccine and ending with with HIV due to having unsafe sex.

M. you have a right to be concerned. I rememeber when I got
pregrant with my first child....they thought it was a miracle!
I was on the pill and I had gotten a respiritary infection. So basically it interfered with the pill. At the time, they where doing a study about this....came out afterwards.

Has anyone in your family...including you ever had cervice cancer? At the moment...they have been pushing women who's mothers and/or themselves have had it.
Tough decision... I think most of us if not there...will be.
Mine is 9 will be 10 yrs.old this Oct. She has astma/allegies.
The jury is still out on that. I have had C.Cancer and was lucky they found it. That god bless me with 2 kids after they told me I would be lucky to have anymore.

It's between a hard spot and a rock. I don't trust FDA or Obgyn. I would ask the ped.Dr. why he did. Peds. are over worked and underpayed. There more for there patients. Maybe the percent is higher than what we thought?
I have been up to this point...been leaning in not giving this HPV vaccine to my daughter.
J.

M.,
As a mom of boys 21 & 18 I know how difficult it is to bring up teenagers to be respectable and honorable. I know you are trying to do the same with your children. We have worked hard at helping them understand the importance of keeping themselves for marriage and to not be experimenting sexually until that time and it is precisely for a couple of reason. From a Biblical aspect we believe it is honorable to God to do this and secondly there are always consequences for risky sexual behavior.

This brings me to the vaccine. My understanding is that it is to prevent some (not all) sexually tranmitted diseases that cause cervical cancer. I believe it is far more important teach and raise my child not to behave in a way that would cause them to come into contact with a disease. I know that this is a contraversial stand to take in the present culture in which we live, but I think it is an important one. If we do not want our child to come in contact with a sexually transmitted disease then they should be taught and encouraged to behave responsibly with their bodies and know the consequences for doing this or not doing this.

I do not know if there is enough research to support the safety value of this vaccine. I believe I would feel diffently is the vaccine prevented cervical cancers that are not sexually transmitted. I feel the vaccine is more of a target for those who are sexually promiscious.
Below is a definition from Wikpedia on the vaccine:
Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is a vaccine that targets certain sexually transmitted strains of human papillomavirus associated with the development of cervical cancer and genital warts.[1] Two HPV vaccines are currently on the market: Gardasil and Cervarix.[2]

As you determine what is best for your daughter I hope that you keep open the lines of communication and are able to set healthy boundaries for your daughter that will help keep her safe. My best to you.

We can't possibly know what the future holds as far as down the line potential side effects not presently known. But I'm rather certain it is FDA approved and that it was a very big deal to get it acknowledged and approved for payment from insurance companies. And I do know that the likelihood of a female getting HPV is like 98% or something and the likelihood of that turning into cervical cancer is I think 1 in 3. So mathematically, you are taking a bigger risk of her getting HPV and 1/3 of eventual cancer then you are to trust that any possible drawbacks have for certain been taken into consideration way before this got approved.

Also, I think it's a great thing that she is only 11. Many moms are doing it for their daughters at 14, 15, 16 and I'm finding (because I work with teens) that many of them are unaware that you cannot (or should not) have sexual relations before you finish the course of 3 shots. At your daughters age, you should have a pretty safe bet that she'll succesfully complete the shots.

That's all my opinion. Good luck.

The HPV vaccine has been the cause of paralysis and even death in a few cases.

A quote from:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=...

"Of the 77 women who received the vaccine while pregnant, 33 experienced side effects ranging from spontaneous abortion to fetal abnormities. Other serious side effects continue to be reported including, paralysis, Bells Palsy, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and seizures," Judicial Watch said."

This so Merck can have even higher profits? Of course, you won't hear this in mainstream media. Another thing: the vaccine is only effective for a few strains of the HPV virus. Research, research, research. I believe that only one out of 100,000 girls under their mid 20s are at risk of dying from cervical cancer. Crunch the numbers before you make a decision.

JM

Dear M.,

Other people will know more and do consult a good site like the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) or webmd, but here are a few thoughts. The HPV vaccine prevents the Human Papiloma virus which causes nearly all cervical cancers. The Human Papiloma Virus is transmitted through sexual intercourse. It is pretty darn cool to have a vaccine to "prevent" a type of cancer. If young women receive this vaccine prior to becoming sexually active, it should go a long way towards decreasing the number of women who develop cervical cancer.

Now you should try to learn about any risks involved with the vaccine (like all a very small number of girls may have some sort of side effect) just to make sure that the potential benefit will outweigh the very small risks (if any) that it might include.

I hope this is helpful

J.

I for one wouldn't let my daughter have it. I did a lot of research online and looked at a lot of info on the vaccine and I don't think it is something I want to do. I think you should really look up some information on it and then take any of the negative parts of it and discuss it with her doctor. And then make a decision on it. Ultimately it is you who needs to decide if you should do this with her.
Good luck deciding!
N.

I worked in a ped. office for over a year and all of the doctors supported this vaccine. I can understand your mixed views. However, that said I wish that there was a vaccine out there 13 years ago. That is when I had my first cervical cancer scare. I am now 31 and have had 3 more procedures due to irregular cells that were the stage before cancer. If there was even a chance my parents could have spared me from the pain of surgery and the worry that I wouldn't beable to carry to term (the doctors said I would more than likely not be able to have kids...thank god they were wrong) I would have hoped they would take the chance. My vote is to get the vaccine. I have a little boy but if I am ever blessed with a little girl she will get the vaccine.
Good Luck,
J.

As a woman how has HPV, there is no doubt in my mind that every young woman should have this vaccine.

If you knew for a fact that your daughter was going to smoke and had the choice now to give her a vaccine for lung cancer would you? Well, let me be the first to tell you - she's going to have sex. And HPV can be transmitted even when most "safe sex" practices are followed.

The mistake I think parents make is thinking they need to discuss it with thier child. It's just another shot she's getting at the Dr. She doesn't need to know what it's for - unless, of course, you are looking for a segway into a discussion about sex/her body. It might be good for that. And this might be a good time to teach her about her period and some of the functions of her body.

Good luck. My little girl is only 3 - and I'm not looking forward to the teen/tween years!

I have very strong feelings against this vaccine. It was not tested on children for obvious reasons, so there is no way to know the long term effects. It hasn't even been out long enough to know the effect it will have on adults. I think it's crazy to recommend a vaccine for a sexually transmitted disease for children so young. Unless you have a family history of cervical cancer then I doubt the risk out weighs the benefit.

My only daughter is 9, and even though I had a PAP come up positive when I was pregnant with her (never again since), I will never have her vaccinated for HPV.

Personally, I think it is a ridiculous vaccine. HPV is the Human Papiloma Virus (I know I spelled that wrong!!) But, I DO know what it means. It means Genital Warts. How do you get Genital Warts? Mostly through unprotected sex. That is the ONLY way I know of any friends getting it. I do not, but I have close friend who does and she got it through sexual contact with a boyfriend who had it and didn't tell her. Me? I have had protected contact with every man I've been with, and my unprotected (as in no condom), long term monogamous partners I've gone on the pill for, we each went for STD testing together beforehand. No, it's not romantic, but I have no and never hand any STD's. Sorry tangent. Teach your daughter about sex, sexuality, responsible sex, love, etc. That is the best defense. Help her understand how to make good choices. HPV can cause cervical cancer because it mutates the cells there. That is why the vaccination "works." But, you don't need it, if you're having responsible sex. ...just my two cents...

M.- I think you should research the vaccine and not just take a few peoples advice. Just know that no matter how strict or what kind of morals you raise your daughter with she might still have sex. HPV is not just genital warts it also can be in your body you won't ever know until you get cervical cancer. If you daughter decides to wait until marriage to have sex she could still unknowingly get it from her husband. I will be getting the vaccine for my 10 year old daughter. I know what teenagers are like these days even if they are taught abstinence it doesn't always work.

Hi M.,

I have a 12 yr old daughter and I'm on the fence about this as well. At this point I'm thinking about holding off until she's about 16. I am pro-vaccine but still like to be cautious when it comes to a new vaccine. I like to make sure that after several years the safety and efficacy issues haven't changed. The FDA has to approve vaccines before they become available to the public, but then again there have been vaccines that were pulled after being introduced because of unexpected side effects. I figure that it's been out for a couple of years, add onto that 4 more years before I take her in for it and that should be sufficient time to know if anything has changed with it's recommendation. Do your research, make sure your sources are reputable and you can make a decision you feel comfortable with.

why not, having had a scare with hpv and possible cervical cancer, why not. my son's pediatrician said to me when i questioned the chicken pox shot, why would you not, if you could possibly prevent something why not. i think you should do it. best of luck

I have the same questions about long term safety, and I don't have as much faith in the FDA approval process as I used to.

You could look into the length of time it was studied and on whom it was studied, including long term follow-up on patients (at least 10 - 15 yrs), which I'd be surprised if you'd find much. I'd also want to know what ingredients are in the vaccine, including mercury levels and any other potential toxins used-preservatives or otherwise.

If I had a daughter and were facing this question, I'd be reluctant to give it to her. If I can teach her other ways to avoid it (even without guarantee that she'll listen and act appropriately) I'd probably choose that instead.

Good luck!

Better to be safe than sorry. I am not convinced my daughter will need it because of the way it is transmitted, but then again, she is only 6 and well who knows what life will bring. My mother (stage 4 breast cancer & strict Catholic) absolutely believes she should get it when the time comes. So when I get to that point I will have her get it.

A.

www.nvic.org

NO NO NO

It is a dangerous and ineffective vaccine.

A little more info:

This morning Jacque Reid gave a report on the new HPV vaccine available to women and young girls. I think some important facts about this vaccine was left out, and I would like to share those points by e-mail since I was unsuccessful by phone.

Fact 1: The study was conducted over a four-year period, which means, with such a short study, we have yet to know the extent of any adverse reactions from the vaccine, especially the 250 girls around the age of 9 that were administered the vaccine and who have not yet reached the age where they're likely to be attempting to become pregnant.

Fact 2: It was noted in the FDA labeling: Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility GARDASIL has not been evaluated for the potential to cause carcinogenicity or genotoxicity. In other words, this vaccine could cause fertility problems down the line, but the drug maker is not sure. It could also, itself, cause cancer but they're not sure. See link for more information on the FDA's findings: http://www.fda.gov/cber/label/hpvmer060806LB.htm.

Fact 3: The pregnancy category for this vaccine is B. It is noted that it is not known whether Gardasil can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman or if it can affect reproductive capacity.

Fact 4: Merck&Co. is so unsure about this that Merck & Co., Inc. maintains a Pregnancy Registry to monitor fetal outcomes of pregnant women exposed to GARDASIL. Patients and health care providers are encouraged to report any exposure to GARDASIL during pregnancy by calling (800) 986-8999.

Fact 5: When it comes to lactation, they're not sure either. According to the FDA's report: It is not known whether vaccine antigens or antibodies induced by the vaccine are excreted in human milk.

And more regarding the lactation that should concern those faced with the decision to vaccinate or not: Overall, 17 and 9 infants of subjects who received GARDASIL or placebo, respectively (representing 3.4% and 1.8% of the total number of subjects who were breast-feeding during the period in which they received GARDASIL or placebo, respectively), experienced a serious adverse experience. None was judged by the investigator to be vaccine related. How can we be sure it wasn't vaccine related, since it followed on the heels of the vaccine?

In clinical studies, a higher number of breast-feeding infants (n = 6) whose mothers received GARDASIL had acute respiratory illnesses within 30 days post-vaccination of the mother as compared to infants (n = 2) whose mothers received placebo. I think the first number is one worth consideration, don't you, especially since it was only evaluated over a four-year period?

Fact 6: The testing was carried out on more than 27,000 young men and women but only 250 of these subjects were as young as nine.

Fact 7: This vaccine has purportedly been shown to protect against four types of HPV--6, 11, 16, and 18--while there are over 100 strains of HPV. Does that make it worth it, even if these are said to be the most common types of the strain?

My concern about this vaccine also lies in the fact that it's with a certainty that low-income black and Hispanic women will be the largest populations targeted for this vaccine. Would you, Tom, if you had a nine-year-old daughter, put her possible reproductive future in your hands in this manner? Could you live with the consequences of knowing because of a vaccine you gave her 10 years prior, today, she cannot have children? The media have hyped this vaccine up to be the best thing for all women, but is it really? Or is it another failed drug hot on the trail of Vioxx, which, incidentally pounced out of Merck's laboratories, failed and changed lives forever?

My obgyn told me not to have my daughter to get the shot because it hasn't been out long enough to know anything in the future. besides on my own thought I wasn't going to do it anyway. A. G

Dear M.,

Please, really take your time and energy and research all the data that is out there about this vaccine. There is a lot of controversy about it and a lot of girls worldwide who got injured due to this vaccine.

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

Warmly,

C.

My oldest daughter is now 8 yrs old and during a recent exam with our pediatrician, I asked our doctor how she felt about the HPV vaccine and she adamantly opposes it.
Initially when I first heard about it, I cringed and felt it was wrong.And our pediatrician(who is not vaccine-happy)has pretty much made me feel my initial feeling was accurate.
You can find loads of information on this subject if you google it. If during your searches you end up with more bad reviews than good, you should probably decide against it.
Do the research and do not allow others to make the decision for you. Since you're gut feeling appears to be against it, that may very well be the best decision for your daughter.
Best wishes and GOOD LUCK!

Hi M.. My daughter is almost 13 and our family doctor never even mentioned this - and I"m betting his daughter hasn't had it either. OUr doctor is pretty like minded with myself about new and non-school mandated vaccines.

Here's some info, and definitely go to the link to the VARS site.

A lot of people would like to think there's a magic shot for things and that it's harmless. The fact is this is a new vaccine, there are plenty of adverse reactions reported and I think it'll be off the market in a year. It doesn't prevent cancer, it prevents some strains of the HPV virus, which can lead to cancer. I've had a reproductive cancer and still would not get this vaccine for my daughter.

I know a lot of people might say, wait til she is older, wait til she is an adult and can choose for herself, but this particular vaccine is meant to be given at this time in a girl's life cycle. We don't know what the effectiveness is if it would be given later. I don't know that a doctor would give it to an 18 or 19 year old.

Either way, it's something that I had already made up my mind not to have my daughter receive, and was relieved when my doctor didn't even bring it up

And a note to Amy regarding the comment about not even discussing the vaccine with your daughter. Amy, your little girl is 3 years old. We are talking about girls who are 11-13. They don't just accept a shot without asking what disease it is preventing. I dont mean this as a criticism, but your daughter is a tiny little girl and wouldn't ask this sort of thing. 11-13 year olds have taken health class in middle school, they also do not get vaccines regularly! You mentioned that you should just treat it like another shot they get. 11-13 year olds are not constantly getting shots, they pretty much never get them! It's not like when you have a 2 year old who is still in the process of a vaccine schedule and most checkups include routine vaccines.

Hi M.,
I'm a nurse and we had this conversation at work with one of our surgeons who is an OB/GYN (one of the other girls I work with was asking what she thought of it) She definitely reccomends it and had her daughter get it.. This is why: She said that it has been found that cervical cancer is caused by HPV... So getting this vaccine would prevent cervical cancer... Of course there are many other viruses out there, and it will not prevent those other viruses, but in terms of this one particular virus it will... Definitely check out your facts, talk to your dr,follow your gut and make your own decision.. Good luck!

We all like to think that our daughters will abstain from sex...the reality is that most don't. Wouldn't you like to know that your daughter is more protected from a life-threatening disease such as cancer? Besides, the virus can be transmitted by her husband, too, when she is legally married and sex is "allowed"...
All kinds of gynecological cancers run in my family so I am getting all three of my daughters vaccinated.
Good for you for researching the facts. I did the same thing when the chickenpox vaccine became mandatory in CT for all children in public school.

I would if I had a daughter. You can save her some grief later on, and lessen her risk for cancer. HPV is such a common virus that a young woman can get one of the strains, even if she is not permiscuous. The shots work best for young girls that have not had sex and are not pregnant. Wait later, and her options may be limited, especially if she becomes sexually active.

Anything given to people has to have FDA approval. That is shots/medicine/ect. They can't just go around giving people stuff. It only prevents 4 types of HPV. there are way more kinds then this, but I think that the ones it prevents are the most common. There is a cut off age for receiving the vaccine (28) but your daughter is far from that. I have mixed emotions about the shot. But my daughter doesn't need to consider it for a loooooooooooong time. She's 9 mos old. Good luck to you.

Wait until she becomes sexually active or of age to be. This is a new vaccine & they don't know how it will effect kids later on (ie. cancers, etc.) There are so many sexually transmitted diseases and so many people already have them, that I would try to teach my child to be abstinent until marriage or very careful to use protection. This one vaccine will not prevent all of these diseases or cancers from them.

If your daughter chooses to not have multiple sexual partners it won't be needed anyway. Not unless her husband is infected and she can make that choice when she is old enough.

Definetly read up sbout it. But alot of doctors are recommending it. It protects against 4 strands of HPV which are the strongest out there deriving in cervical cancer. It is geared for young women who have not yet been sexually active, basically protecting them from this STD. As per side effects, no matter what we do or what medicine we take there are always some side effects. you just basically need to decide what you feel will be better for your family. Best of luck but I can say my daughter is only 2 and I already decided she is getting it.