HPV Vaccine

Just wondering how many parents actually have given there daughters the vaccine and how old they were when they got it and if you followed through with all 3 doses of the vaccine at there daughters pediatrician or family doctor.

Our 14 year old daughter and 17 year old son have received all three shots of this vaccine

I got my boys vaccinated so they wouldn't carry HPV and spread it around to future girlfriends...

This is an often an overlooked fact that males can be vaccinated against the HPV. If you are 26 or younger, there is an HPV vaccine that can help protect you against the types of HPV that most commonly cause problems in men. The HPV vaccine (Gardasil) works by preventing four common HPV types, two that cause most genital warts and two that cause cancers, including anal cancer. It protects against new HPV infections; it does not cure existing HPV infections or disease. It is most effective when given before a person’s first sexual contact .

In fact the CDC recommends the HPV vaccine for all boys ages 11 or 12, and for males through age 21, who have not already received all three doses. The vaccine is also recommended for gay and bisexual men, and men with compromised immune systems through age 26, if they did not get fully vaccinated when they were younger.

Well done Doc Holiday for getting your boys vaccinated and taking such a proactive approach.

Yes we have here and most people I know have.

Vaccinations were one the greatest advancements of medicine. Why would you not want to protect against potential cause of cervical cancer?

I may be tugging on Superman's cape so to speak with my opinion but we refused it. The research I ran across indicates it does not even protect against half of the strains of HPV and there have been reports of injury and death from the vaccine. No women has died from using condoms and that will stop the virus almost 100%. Additionally you still will need yearly screenings to catch any cancers caused by HPV that the vaccine does not protect against. Just because medical science says it's okay does not mean that it is.

Links to that research? Is it one study, or several studies that are peer reviewed and/or replicable?

All three kids, full series. Never did a question exist! They all had it by 12 the latest.

I'm not convinced about most vaccinations either working well or safely.

If they work, I'll let the herd immunity protect me, but I'm not putting that crap into my or any loved one's bodies.

Whilst people here raise good valid points I do find it surprising in general that there is often alot of mistrust in modern western medicine.

In the uk the national institute for clinical excellence (NICE) produce guidelines and recommendations for best practice.

Sadly cost effectiveness does play a role in its policy on drugs and vaccines. Se cancer drugs that are shown to work and improve / extend quality of life for months have been rejected on grounds of costs to benefit where as they are very clear on hpv vaccine and benefits.

I personally trust the healthcare systems we have in place here.

Obviously medicine have got it very wrong in the past and sure it will again but you can only go with what evidence there is currently which is in favour.

Still it's good we can have this debate and that the choice does exist.

Its a very interesting debate and the merits of immunization has and no doubt will always be debatable, but here is National Institute for Clinical Excellence ( NICE) research for its guidelines:

Human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines are intended to be prophylactic, not therapeutic. Protection rates are lower in women who have already been infected with the vaccine-related genotypes [WHO, 2007] . It is therefore important to vaccinate girls before they become sexually active [DTB, 2008; (Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin)]. The National Childhood Immunization Programme offers immunization for girls of 12–13 years of age [DTB, 2008; DH 2012].

Controlled trials have indicated that the HPV vaccine Gardasil® (quadrivalent) is highly effective at preventing susceptible women from being infected with HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18 [WHO, 2007; DH, 2012].

Studies found:

- 90% fewer persistent infections with genotypes 16 or 18 [DH, 2012].

-That the HPV vaccine is over 99% effective at preventing pre-cancerous lesions associated with HPV types 16 and 18 in young women. Studies suggest that protection is maintained for at least 7 years, but the results of long term follow-up studies are awaited.

Gardasil® is the vaccine of choice for the national immunisation programme as this vaccine is also 99% effective in preventing genital warts associated with HPV types 6 and 11 in young women .

A multi-site study of HPV type-specific prevalence in women with cervical cancer, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, and normal cervical cytology in England found that non-vaccine HPV types (that is types 16 and/or 18 ) were found in 60% of women with mild dyskaryosis or less, but in fewer than 20% of women with cervical cancer. The authors commented that these results suggested that the HPV vaccine should have a marked impact on cervical disease in England [Howell-Jones et al, 2010].

It is not known how long protection lasts and whether booster doses are necessary [DTB, 2008] . Levels of antibodies to HPV are low or non-existent after infection, because HPV only has a mucosal phase and not a bloodstream phase. Levels of antibody after vaccination are much higher than after natural infection. This differs from other viral vaccines, and therefore it is not possible to predict from experience the expected length of time for protection against HPV infection [WHO, 2007]

.- A follow-up study of 383 women who had received three doses of HPV-16/18 virus-like particle vaccine and 393 women who had received a placebo found sustained high levels of antibodies at 4.5 years of follow up [Harper et al, 2006].

- A follow-up study of 17622 women who had received the quadrivalent vaccine found that the vaccine had provided sustained protection for 42 months [The Future I/II Study Group, 2010].

There is some cross-protection against other genotypes from both the bivalent and the quadrivalent vaccines[WHO, 2007; DH, 2012].

Bivalent vaccine: cross-protection demonstrated against two other genotypes has been demonstrated in HPV-naive women.

Quadrivalent vaccine: neutralizing antibodies against genotypes 31 and 45 have been demonstrated.

As with any vaccine there are unknowns but they do save lives and that's the overriding factor. Yes there are health and safety concerns and I fully understand and share those concerns. So it's a choice that we make.

Firm believer in this vaccine. It's all about what is out there, ie hepatitis etc and as diseases develop, how we live and conduct out lives may or may not change, therefore a vaccine is a form of protection.

Its a very interesting debate and the merits of immunization has and no doubt will always be debatable, but here is National Institute for Clinical Excellence ( NICE) research for its guidelines:

It's really VACCINATION.

Whether you actually get immunized is questionnable.

I'm not convinced about most vaccinations either working well or safely.

If they work, I'll let the herd immunity protect me, but I'm not putting that crap into my or any loved one's bodies.

What about polio and smallpox? Do they work? Are they safe?

We have had our daughter vaccinated and shortly after she started to develope problems. No one has linked it , but makes you wonder. I personally don't believe in it much, to many strains and not enough protection, like the flu vaccine.

Switchablesusie the term Immunization as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is as follows : A process by which a person becomes protected against a disease through vaccination. This term is often used interchangeably with vaccination or inoculation.

This is one of those issues that will never be resolved. There are those who believe vaccines are efficacious and those who believe that the side effects -- real or perceived -- outweigh the benefits. I am a believer in the benefit of vaccinations and I know I can never convince those who feel differently.

For HPV, protecting against four strains of the cancer-causing virus is better than zero. Flu vaccine is different because it requires the government and / or manufacturers to predict the likely viral strain for the coming year. And like the weather, predictions are just that. But even this year's vaccine will provide partial immunity against the main viral strain.

I had the three vaccines when I was 14 and our insurance started covering them. Definitely glad my mom decided that I needed them! I have no problem whatsoever with getting vaccinated against something like HPV, and I'll be sure my future kids get all of their needed vaccinations. 😃 The HPV shots were pretty painful to tell the truth. I remember the pain shot all the way down my arm, but it's definitely worth it! 😃

I do find it interesting this vaccine is not offered to adults who are still virgins... Just something to think about as it is encouraged to be given to teens before they are sexually active...hmmm...

Andie,

The HPV vaccines are not offered to adult virgins because its effetiveness was never tried on adult women. So, legally, the pharmaceuticals cannot endorse it without first go to trial again. I find this stupid, because the vaccine should work on women all ages.

Now they are hinting that boys should get HPV vaccines also, to prevent getting throat cancer. But so far, it is not yet happening.

On a side note, I heard that the hpv vaccines are so deliciously painful. Haha

Correct me if I am wrong please. I am not a doctor.

Marinabay,

I have many thoughts about this particular vaccine and a few others. They happen to be controversial and political to some people. I won't voice them here as politics are discouraged, especially in regards to controversial issues.

Those are interesting points that you make. It just adds fuel to the fire in my humble opinion. I have a close friend who is a drug rep and another who is a scientist for a drug company. They have some political controversial thoughts on this vaccine as well, why and how it was marketed in the beginning and how it is now being marketed.

It is what it is...

Andie

I'm young enough to have actually gotten the vaccine as a kid. I was 16-17 when I got the three doses. I'm glad I did it. I know that they don't offer 100% coverage from HPV, but some protection is better than nothing. I never felt like I was being misled about how effective it was, as I was told exactly what the benefits were and how I still had to take preventative measures. My mom did encourage me, but she never pushed. If I had refused, that would have been fine. My sister decided against the vaccine because of her severe needle phobia, and that was okay. Her decision to make.

I know that this is a political issue, and I won't go into it much further. But I encourage people to do their own research on the vaccine, as with any other drug. Be particularly skeptical about claims being made without any real evidence.

I'm a guy, last time I went to the doctor she recommended I get it so I got the first one. They recommend it until you're 26. I turn 26 in a week.

I didn't get the other two because the first one caused the lower left quadrant of my face to break out in a hellacious rash...literally before I even got home from the doctor. The rash lasted a couple of weeks during which I got married and went on my honeymoon. The rash was getting better but is clearly visible in our pictures and wasn't too comfortable. I am angry about that and so I won't be getting the other two.

I'm not against all vaccinations, and I have to get them for the program I'm a student in for a lot of things. This is just my experience with this vaccine. TB two steps also make my forearm get a leaf shaped swollen rash on it for about a week (I don't have TB and never have). I'm guessing I'm allergic to some chemical that they have in both injections.

Switchablesusie the term Immunization as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is as follows : A process by which a person becomes protected against a disease through vaccination. This term is often used interchangeably with vaccination or inoculation.

I know that. They are making the assumption that the vaccination immunizes you.

The CDC has an agenda.

Well Switchablesusie controlled trials have indicated that the HPV vaccine Gardasil® (quadrivalent) is highly effective at preventing susceptible women from being infected with HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18 [WHO, 2007; DH, 2012]. So the evidence is there that it is effective against those 4 types at least.

My daughters are at a school where a child actually died shortly after having the vaccine . There was a lot of controversy then as to whether it was effective or not or even safe . It turned out the girl who died already had a serious Underlying , undetected condition which caused her death . My 14 yr old has had all three vaccines and my 12 yr old has her first of three in the New Year . I didn't even think about them not having them . There must of been enough research beforehand to deem them safe and effective. Most of the girls in my daughters year group received the three vaccinations . Gardasil is what was used .

There must of been enough research beforehand to deem them safe and effective. Most of the girls in my daughters year group received the three vaccinations . Gardasil is what was used .

You obviously don't understand the economics and politics of drug approval.

My wife's gynecology oncologist, who is co-chair of his department at a rather large teaching hospital, says that in their research, this vaccine is very safe and it does help in reducing your chances of getting a HPV related cancer. Just his opinion but for what it is worth, I believe what he says. Most gave up on my wife with her stage 4 gyne cancer, but he didn't and she is still cancer free 3 years later. Here cancer was not HPV related however.

Whether or not this vaccine is safe is questionable at best. You can conduct all the professional studies you want and there will be some people who it will harm. I have 3 kids and they all received the standard kid shots. One of them had a severe reaction to DPT and we were warned not to EVER let her receive it again. Most people can eat pecans, I on the other hand can stop breathing if I eat them. Bottom line is it may be "safe" but they can not guarantee that your reaction will be the same as everybody else. Sorry but I am not putting anything in my daughters body that contains the warning "may cause serious injury or death".

[color=#000000]My daughters are at a school where a child actually died shortly after having the vaccine . There was a lot of controversy then as to whether it was effective or not or even safe . It turned out the girl who died already had a serious Underlying , undetected condition which caused her death[/color] . My 14 yr old has had all three vaccines and my 12 yr old has her first of three in the New Year . I didn't even think about them not having them . There must of been enough research beforehand to deem them safe and effective. Most of the girls in my daughters year group received the three vaccinations . Gardasil is what was used .

You don't think the school would have said anything else, do you?

The vaccine could have exacerbated conditions such as an allergy to one of the vaccine components.