What age would you give your daughters the vacine

[serryjw]

When this heated up last year I made it clear I was against mass vacination. There are too many drugs that have unknown side effect that we only learn years after they hit the market. Most of you disagreed then..How do you feel now.

[eyesroll]

1. When the doctor recommends it.

:shrug:

[FSogol]

4. Same here. n/t

[BlooInBloo]

6. That's why doctors exist after all....

[MADem]

7. That seems sensible--is it known if it loses effectiveness over time?

Might boosters be needed? There needs to be a bit more PR on the hows, whys and where-fors of the "best" time to vaccinate.

[lindisfarne]

21. This is something that ongoing research will have to determine. But

it doesn't make sense to not vaccinate before that is known. Spread of HPV is greater when people don't have long-term monogamous relationships, and in the teen/early 20's group, "long-term" is often 6 months, if that. Even if these kids never got a booster, as a population, they'd be protected when they were most likely to be exposed.

The varicella vaccine (chicken pox) is probably going to require a booster - it's something that hasn't been called for yet but I'll bet within the next 10 years (and probably 5), they'll be giving college-age kids boosters.

Even tetanus requires boosters!

[MADem]

36. I heard on the sNEWs last night

that it's just the one vaccine and two boosters over a total of six months, and it's for females from either 9 or 12 through 26.

So, at least they sorta cleared that up. Now the challenge is to get the word out, I guess.

[gollygee]

16. Yep

We all have to make medical choices for our children and this is one I'll be happy to make when she reaches that age.

[lindisfarne]

22. I'm strongly in favor of the vaccine, but I disagree with the reason being

"the doctor recommends it". A much better reason is that many doctors and scientists, as well as public health experts, have recommended it.

(I view my doctor as a consultant: I listen to the advice, consult with others, the internet, consult back with the doctor, and eventually make a decision. Luckily I have 2 oncologists in my family, who have links to other docs if necessary.

Too many individual docs don't always offer the best advice. I would find another doc if this happened too often, but a lot of people just can't (or don't) analyze the relevant research well enough to determine the level of expertise their own doctor has.)

[benburch]

2. I knew girls who were sexually active in 6th grade...

so before age 12 would seem to be mandatory!!!

[coffeenap]

3. When she is old enough to decide for herself is she wants to risk

whatever unknowns come with the vaccination vs. the knowns that come with her sexual choices.

[serryjw]

10. Thanks for the sane responce

n/t

[eyesroll]

11. Are you assuming she'll never get raped or cheated on?

"Sexual choices" aren't always choices.

[lindisfarne]

25. The vaccine protects against HPV best when given before exposure

to HPV. See message #18 & 19 for more info.

[Mandate My Ass]

5. which vaccine?

The fact that you single out daughters suggests that you mean the cervical cancer vaccine.

I don't have daughters but if I did, I'd do it ASAP and according to doctor's recommendations. It has shown to eliminate sexually transmitted cervical cancer 100% so I don't see where the "mass vaccine" issue comes into play. :shrug:

[serryjw]

8. Last year they were talking about

mass vacination for all boys ( are carriers) and girls at age 9! BTW, you statement is not correct.Which is one of the reasons that I am opposed to this.I understand that it is a significant percentage. Who is going to pay for it at the tune of $500? What will you all do when you find out in 10 years that caused sterilization in young girls? Does any one remember the heart attacks/deaths from Viagra?

quote.......
There are more than 70 different types of HPV. Dr. Kevin Ault of Emory University School of Medicine, who led one of the clinical trials, said this vaccine protects against four of them, but they are the four most significant.

"These are the four medically most important types," he said. "Two of the types -- 16 and 18 -- are responsible for about 70 percent of cervical cancer and then the other two -- six and 11-- are responsible for about 90 percent of genital warts," Ault said.

end quote.......
http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/06/08/cervical.vaccine/index.html

[lindisfarne]

26. See message #18, 19, & 24 for answers to a number of your questions.

Vaccines work differently from a drug like viagra. Sterilization will not result from the vaccination.

Of women diagnosed with cervical cancer, over 1 in 3 will die from cervical cancer.

[REP]

29. Many of Those Who Don't Die Will Be Left Unable to Bear Children

The treatment for cervical cancer involves (among other things) removing the cervix and/or the uterus. Even if the uterus is left intact, many women are left with what is called "incompetent cervix" which makes carrying to term unlikely; those with hysterectomies will obviously be unable to get pregnant. This, of course, is not a bother for all women - woman does not equal mother and not all women wish to have children, but many do. About 100% would like to avoid a disease that necessitates cutting away of the cervix and/our uterus and/or chemotherapy and/or radiation and/or causes death of at all possible.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

9. When she's an infant.

Same time she gets her other vaccinations.

[eyesroll]

12. I don't think this one's supposed to be given to infants.

I've heard it's "most effective" when administered to pre-teens.

[datadiva]

13. What is the recommended age?

Thats when I would have it done. Course I had 4 boys, but if I had a girl I would get the vaccine. I just hope down the road there aren't horrible side effects. But cervical cancer is an awful thing. Any hope of not getting it is a plus.

edited for spelling. aren'ts isn't a word :)

[serryjw]

15. You are kidding?

I just hope down the road there aren't horrible side effects.

[Tesha]

33. It's likely this will also become recommended for boys as well.

Because boys can carry HPV (and so infect the girls) and suffer
genital warts as well, it's likely this will become recommended
for boys as well, but they need to finish some studies.

The priority was females first since femals suffer far worse
ravages from HPV than males, but epidemiologically speaking,
you eventually want to reach the entire infectable population.

Tesha

[Ian David]

14. Whatever the recommended age.

I wonder how many fundies will withhold the vaccine from their daughters, only to see them infected after being raped.

[lindisfarne]

27. Or infected after having sex with their boyfriend while claiming "virgin"

to her parents (parents don't have a clue that there's a boyfriend in her life).

[LeftyMom]

17. I'd want more information

What's in it, what's it cultured on, do the studies seem impressive or somewhat suspect? If I had a daughter I'd discuss the potential risks, benefits, ethical considerations, etc with her. I'm young enough to get it myself (25) but I probably won't because my child and I both have a history of adverse reactions to vaccines and I really don't want to get injected with animal products (which every other vaccine contains, so this one probably does too though I'll research that.)

edit: Most cervical cancer deaths can be attributed to poverty and lack of basic medical care (ie annual pap smears.) Poor women won't be getting a $500 vaccine so while this may spare relatively affluent women some cases of genital warts and cervical cancer, I doubt many lives will be saved.

[lindisfarne]

23. This information is available; a lot of it's on the web. google.com. n/t

[lindisfarne]

24. There's a federal program that will cover 45% of kids. State programs

will pick up some more, and private insurance even more.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/09/health/09vaccine.html?ei=5094&en=639cd68d8409f9d8&hp=&ex=1149912000&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print

See message #18 & 19 for more info: if you've been exposed to HPV (and there's a good chance you have if you're sexually active), you would probably want to research whether getting the vaccine after exposure to HPV is a good idea (there is some research which suggests there may be concerns, although I don't know all the issues); a test can determine whether you've been exposed to HPV. But keep getting those paps as recommended.

3700 women die annually in the US from cervical cancer; only about 10,000 are diagnosed annually - so the death rate is quite high. A lot of women don't get regular paps due to lack of health insurance and no money (Planned Parenthood works on a sliding fee scale so if you don't have the money, go to them!!).

In the developing world, the situation with cervical cancer is far worse than in the US. Hopefully, Merck will work out some way to make the vaccine affordable for distribution in the developing world - I'm sure this issue will be making headlines within a few years. Hundreds of thousands of lives could be saved annually.

[lindisfarne]

18. Have you looked into how this vaccine acts before you start talking

about it being a "drug with unknown side effects". Vaccines aren't drugs. If you have concerns about other chemicals which are include in the liquid that includes the vaccine, that is valid - but have you investigated what is in the liquid?

Can you tell us about how the vaccine acts and explain why you think that may (or may not) be a concern? As I understand it, the vaccine uses a form of HPV which has been modified so that it cannot cause harm but which causes the body to recognize HPV and fight it better when exposed.

If anyone who understands the process and implications of modifying the HPV virus for the vaccine wants to chime in, please do. I did find this:
http://www.obgyn.net/newsheadlines/headline_medical_news-Merck_and_Co.,_Inc.-20020923-8.asp
A vaccine composed of a particle designed to simulate a human papillomavirus (HPV) particle stimulated specific lymphocyte and antibody responses in women, according to a report in the Journal of Virology.
==========================================
I personally are in favor of the vaccine being required (all parents have to do is say they object to the vaccine and voila - it's no longer "required"). By making it required, kids on state insurance programs will be covered, and insurance companies in general are more likely to cover it. Women die from cervical cancer - it's one of the most frequent types of cancer deaths among women around the world. Women who have regular pap smears have greatly reduced risk (because it's caught early enough, usually when the abnormalities are precancerous). But even in the US, far too many women are dying from cervical cancer -- and the health insurance situation is only getting worse every year. Women without health insurance, or with major medical health insurance, are far less likely to get the annual checkups which catch the abnormalities which lead to cervical cancer. While condoms can make transfer of HPV less likely, they aren't fool proof.

On a population level analysis, women's lives are going to be saved by this vaccine, especially if it gets distributed (affordably) in the developing world: in many cultures, women's spouses are having extramarital sex and refuse to use condoms with their wives. HPV leading to cervical cancer (because in these places, annual pap smears don't happen) is one of the many STDs these women have to worry about; removing cervical cancer from the equation helps.

[Ms. Toad]

31. As a parent who selectively vaccinates,

It's not so simple as saying "I object" to make it not required.

I have concerns about how vaccinations and the way we vaccinate our children impact our immune systems. There are far more immune disorders since we started routinely exposing our infants to a whole barrage of viruses in a concentrated time period, in a manner that is immunologically different than they would have been exposed naturally.

There is some evidence, for example, that administering the measles vaccination with the mumps vaccination in a single dose contributes to the development of ulcerative colitis - which is a major risk factor for colon cancer. Yes, there are also lots of articles "debunking" the "myth" so I don't need links. Most of the articles are from folks who have a dog in the race and are not necessarily objective. From personal experience, my daughter developed UC within months of her last pre-school age MMR vaccination. Now that a decade has passed has begun what will be an annual or biannual ritual for the rest of her life of having a colonoscopy for cancer screening. Do I know there was a cause and effect - no. Is it reasonable to combine our personal experience with the evidence that supports a connection and exercise caution - yes. Even with the possible connection I would still give her the MM portion of the vaccination - but I would insist that they be given in separate vaccinations spaced over time, and strongly encourage other parents to do the same. Aside from the inconvenience that separate vaccinations create there is no down side to exercising this caution - and it may save your child from a devastating illness.

I am not yet convinced that the R portion of the vaccination should be a mandatory vaccination for children, since the immunity it creates invariably wears off before sexual activity starts - which is when it is crucial for women to avoid rubella because of the risks to unborn children. It's just a whole lot more convenient to make the mandatory age some time at which admission to school can still be denied - that way there's a stick if you don't comply. It's pretty hard to make adults take vaccinations they don't want to have.

The mandatory Hib vaccination is one we escaped by the luck of timing - had my daughter been a year older it would have been mandatory. Had it been mandatory we would have been in for a fight. That vaccination is certainly appropriate for infants/small children in day care. The illness was particularly prevalent in that setting and the consequences of the illness quite severe for very young children. It is not a setting to which my daughter was exposed, and the severe risks associated with the disease are limited to pre-school age children requiring it for 5 year olds whose parents made a reasoned decision to to have it is pointless.

I don't know enough about this vaccination to decide yet whether I believe it should be mandatory. Certainly the consequences of the illness fits my criteria of being serious enough to accept some level of risk. Given my teenage daughter's already compromised immune system (part of having UC) we don't just automatically vaccinate. We'll probably talk together about the risks associated with HPV and the potential risks associated with vaccination and decide whether and/or when to have it.

[lindisfarne]

19. Giving the vaccine after someone becomes sexually active is NOT good.

If the person has been exposed to HPV, there is a very small, but real, risk of the vaccine causing more cell changes than would have occurred without the virus. Although there are tests which can be done to determine if someone has been exposed to HPV. The reason why they're focusing on 12-13 year olds is that most girls haven't become sexually active (although I wonder if there are enough that *have* that they should still test them for exposure).

"In addition, the agency said there was "compelling evidence" that Gardasil's effect is lessened in women who already have been exposed to HPV and could exacerbate cervical cancer in women already diagnosed with the disease (Boston Globe, 5/18)."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=43652

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/09/health/09vaccine.html?ei=5094&en=639cd68d8409f9d8&hp=&ex=1149912000&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print
Cervical cancer is the second-leading cause of death in women across the globe, affecting an estimated 470,000 women and killing 233,000 each year. Widespread use of Pap smears has reduced its toll in richer nations. In the United States, about 9,710 women contract cervical cancer each year, and some 3,700 die.
<snip>
Pap smears can detect precancerous changes to the uterus, but the tests are sometimes wrong, missing some cases and leading to unnecessary procedures in others. Because Gardasil protects against only four viral strains and its effects in those four will take decades to have widespread effect, health officials are recommending that women continue to undergo routine Pap tests.

And a humorous bit:
Merck had originally hoped to get the vaccine approved for use in boys. But although women have routinely allowed swabs to be taken of their vaginal cells, the company found that men rebelled against the use of emery boards to collect cells from their penises. Researchers eventually discovered that jeweler's-grade emery paper effectively removed cells without alarming men and were able to complete their studies.

[Dushegubkiy]

20. What's a vacine?

[NMMNG]

28. If I had a daughter

I'd have her get it around age 9 or 10. It's hard to predict when a first sexual experience will occur or if it will be consensual.

[Nobody]

30. People with otherwise clear heads have a blind spot about their daughters

They would never consider allowing their girls to get this vaccine until they come of age. By then it may be too late. Undoubtedly they love their daughters, but they are adamant that their daughters do not have premarital sex.

I did manage to convince the mom that teaching all the facts about birth control was a good idea by telling her that every good plan needs a backup plan.

People with otherwise good intentions and clear heads about most things can't stand the thought of their girls having sex before marriage. They don't think that what they're doing is using the threat of cervical cancer as a punishment for having sex.

[Sgent]

32. At the earliest recommended time possible

Maybe I'm jaded because of where (and who) I've worked with. But for many girls, their first sexual encounter is not consensual -- nor are they old enough to consent.

[Kber]

34. Can boys be vaccinated too?

To prevent them from transmitting from one partner to another.

I'd be really surprised if either my son or daughter remained a virgin until marriage and it would be as big a tragedy if my son transmitted a preventable disease to someone else as it it would be if my daughter caught it.

Just wondering - guess I should ask my Dr.

on edit - maybe I should try reading treads before I ask questions, huh?

[Iniquitous Bunny]

35. As soon as it was safe to.

Look, Hep B vaccines are given to infants and Hepatitis B is essentially a disease transmitted through blood and body fluids also.


Why is this even a debate?

Oh yeah, because HPV is a health issue that isn't a problem for men. :eyes:

[Fleshdancer]

37. Let's see. My daughter just turned 6 so....

I have 3 years before she reaches the minimum age. This buys me a little time to see what, if any, side effects there are. I'll also ask her doctor of course but I guess my biggest question would be whether it's best to do it before or after puberty or maybe it won't matter either way.

Assuming that the effects aren't severe and her doctor gives me the ok, then my daughter will receive the vaccine as soon as she can.