HPV Vaccine

[helenabear]

I'm taking my 15 year old in to start her shots next month. What a wonderful gift we can give our daughters; a near guarantee they won't get cervical cancer. Amazing!

No offense, but I wouldn't even call this a "near guarantee" From what I recall 80% of all cervical cancer is caused by the strains this vaccination will go up against.

That leaves you 20% of all other cervical cancers that can be caused by something else.

Not all cases of cervical cancer are caused by that virus. Yes the majority, but still IMO not enough to even think of it as a near guarantee or anything.

As a girl who lost her mom to cervical cancer when she was 48 (and I was only 16) I think this shot could be a great breakthrough for many.

I also know that a lot of people who get the HPV do not even get cervical cancer. There is a correlation between the two, but one does not mean the other.

Not trying to put it down again, but just trying to be realistic.

Does this mean if I had a girl would I give her the shots? I honesetly don't know. While I am happy to hear of this, I think it is far too new to be praising and jumping into doing it. Yes, it has been researched for years. I have been following that, but I'm not sure I feel it is ready for the public to jump on the band wagon. Especially when people see these commercials making it seem like it is a miracle drug for all women.

 

[Hannathy]

I am glad to see that they are giving it to older girls, my DD is 14 and I was afraid they would be using the lower age cut off. My sister called after hearing a presentation from a panel that had some of the original developers on it and she was insistant I get my DD in right away. She had cervical ca and had to have a complete hyst. ( we are going in but our Dr. just moved and it is a mess trying to get in with a different Dr.)

For the nay sayers I was one of the early guinea pigs for the Polio vacine living in Pitts. and I am very glad my Parents took the risk with us when you see the devestation that disease caused and the millions of people who have been spared and when you consider they didn't go thru any of the hoops and regulations they do now. Some one has to be in the first group. If some well balanced risks are never taken nothing will ever be discovered and I don't want to live in that cave.

 

[LisaB]

I had asked my gyn when I went to see her why the cut off age. Since I am 38. She said that they figured that after 26 woman would be having less frequent non monogamas sex. They would have settled down by this age

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

I will be getting it for DD, 11. Her Pediatrician mentioned its development several months ago.

She is already on the "list" to get the meningococcal vaccine at her 12 yr checkup (DS got this shot last year). She has other shots to get too (tetanus, MMR booster). Just not sure how many she can get at once.

 

[Geoff_M]

As a former developmental geneticist, let me assure you that there is no foreskin (or cells derived from such) in the vaccine.

You hit the proverbial nail head with that comment. The "foreskin" comment is a perfect illustration of the public mis-understanding of vaccines.

Vaccines are a "biological" product (as opposed to a pharmaceutical product) due to the fact that the active agents in the product are from living organisms instead of being chemicals. Every particular vaccine that is approved is derived from the same "master seed". "Master seeds" are the living viral or bacterial agents that are killed or are weak enough to trigger the desired immune response in subject animal. I have no doubt that the viral material for the HPV vaccine's master seed may have been isolated from foreskin tissue, but what ends up in the master seed is the viral material and not the growth media. The first step in producing a new lot of a vaccine is to take some of the master seed and culture it to produce enough new viral material to be used in the vaccine. The process is a lot like bakers that have used the same "master seed" of yeast for decades to make sour dough bread. In the case of vaccines, often the effectiveness of the master seed must be periodically re-tested to assure that it will produce effective vaccines.

You can rest assured that the HPV vaccine doesn't contain the foreskins of little babies.

 

[DawnCt1]

One of the ingredients is the foreskin of newborn babies. No thanks.

Even if true, there are antibiotics that came from the contents of a Cypriot sewer. So what? Would you not take them because you didnt' like the origin?

 

[DVCLiz]

This is an interesting discussion!!!

Another part of the discussion that I thought would have been mentioned by now has to do with the idea that a vaccine preventing a sexually transmitted disease could, in some way, be interpreted to mean givng young girls permission to be sexually active. This was another point I read when I saw the initial info about the vaccine. Anyone have any thoughts on that angle? Personally, I'd hope that my own parenting and our family discussions, etc. would stick with my daughters when they were making those decisions. I think some education about what this vaccine will and will not do is certainly in order - for example, even if a girl were vaccinated, she'd need to insist on condom use to protect against other STDs and HIV, for example, not to mention pregnancy!!!

 

[tink_n_pooh]

When I was in college I was in one of the studies on HPV and the development of this vaccine. I will be 26 next month, I hope I can still get the vaccine, I think I will call my OB/GYN today.

 

[DawnCt1]

The late stage trials were done in 2001 - which means it underwent significant work prior to that. I don't think it was rushed - the popular press has just only recently been reporting about it.

My DH is very impressed with it and feels that its a major step forward. We have boys. If I had girls, they would get it. Young children do not need to be told the details of every disease they are being vaccinated for; I don't ever remember going into detail about any of their vaccines, whether it was DPT or MMR. "You're getting this vaccine so you don't get sick".

 

[Geoff_M]

Young children do not need to be told the details of every disease they are being vaccinated for; I don't ever remember going into detail about any of their vaccines, whether it was DPT or MMR. "You're getting this vaccine so you don't get sick".

That's a good point.

She said that they figured that after 26 woman would be having less frequent non monogamas sex.

It may be related to the ages of the women that participated in the clinical studies that were part of the approval process. If the company seeking approval only did research on girls and young women, then it would be common FDA practice to limit the labelling in the approval to that group. You can't assume that a product administered to people will automatically behave in the same manner regardless of gender, age, race, etc.

 

[mom2rb]

My boys are 8. If they open this up to boys I will have them vaccinated. I would hate to think that my boys could be carriers that could harm their wives or girlfriends.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

I had asked my gyn when I went to see her why the cut off age. Since I am 38. She said that they figured that after 26 woman would be having less frequent non monogamas sex. They would have settled down by this age

I got HPV when I was around 26. I am pretty sure it was HPV, I remember the Dr telling me think 'HIV, except it is HPV, count yourself lucky."

He explained that I was also somewhat lucky because of my age. Girls in their early 20's were at a much, MUCH higher risk at getting cervical cancer with the HPV.(I think something like 80%) The risk went down as you get older. I had to have a pap smear every 3 months for a year, then I was 'cleared'.

I would be leery of any doctor teling me they decided not to include a specific group of women because more of them are monogomous! WOW. I see women in bar rooms much older than 30 going home with a different guy every week.


BTW, in case anyone is thinking less partners, monogomy will prevent this, I have only been with 3 men in my life. JUST 3. All 3 were serious relationships, not one night stands. I got the virus before I met my DH, so out of just two partners, I got the virus.

 

[TurboKitty]

My daughter will turn 9 next month. I am planning her to get the series of shots when she's 11.

It's another little thing I can try to do to protect her. If her communication skills don't improve, I doubt having sex at any age will be consentual for her.

 

[My2Cinderellas]

I am fortunate that my girls are 8 and 6, so we have the advantage of waiting and watching over the next few years to see how this develops. Based on current information, I will be having them vaccinated. I'm sure our family doctor will be recommending it as well. My hope is that they will have been able to condense it down to one shot, and there won't be any issues with insurance coverage by then.

 

[bananiem]

This is an interesting discussion!!!

Another part of the discussion that I thought would have been mentioned by now has to do with the idea that a vaccine preventing a sexually transmitted disease could, in some way, be interpreted to mean givng young girls permission to be sexually active. This was another point I read when I saw the initial info about the vaccine. Anyone have any thoughts on that angle? Personally, I'd hope that my own parenting and our family discussions, etc. would stick with my daughters when they were making those decisions. I think some education about what this vaccine will and will not do is certainly in order - for example, even if a girl were vaccinated, she'd need to insist on condom use to protect against other STDs and HIV, for example, not to mention pregnancy!!!

But I think they need to be protected in the cases of rape or other sexual abuse.

 

[ZachnElli]

My DD is only 7, but I'm 99% sure that I'll get it for her around 11 or 12 years old.

 

[mrsltg]

I've got time to take the "wait and see" approach as my girls are 5 and 1. I am fully aware of the ramifications of HPV and would like to see a successful vaccine.

 

[mrsv98]

DD is only 6 but when she goes for her boosters before 5th grade she will definitely be getting this one.

 

[My2Cinderellas]

This is an interesting discussion!!!

Another part of the discussion that I thought would have been mentioned by now has to do with the idea that a vaccine preventing a sexually transmitted disease could, in some way, be interpreted to mean givng young girls permission to be sexually active. This was another point I read when I saw the initial info about the vaccine. Anyone have any thoughts on that angle? Personally, I'd hope that my own parenting and our family discussions, etc. would stick with my daughters when they were making those decisions. I think some education about what this vaccine will and will not do is certainly in order - for example, even if a girl were vaccinated, she'd need to insist on condom use to protect against other STDs and HIV, for example, not to mention pregnancy!!!

I couldn't have said it better. In fact I tried, and then realized that you had said everything I wanted to, more clearly. (bolding is mine).

 

[Tiffer]

Good choice!! If I had a daughter I wouldn't be jumping on this until it's been out for a while.

My thoughts exactly. I have a few years to decide. I want to wait and see a bit.