« One haute Momma's beauty trends for spring/summer 2006 | Main | DotMoms Daily: June 14, 2006 »

June 13, 2006

Comments

Ken

Well its two and a half years since my previous post, and sure enough the chook has come home to roost! Many, many young ladies are now wishing their parents HAD been more responsible in waiting for the truth on HPV vaccine to come out. Unfortunately, a number of young ladies are no longer around to even make such a wish. Because, you see (in case you haven't heard), Gardasil has been maiming and killing. And in here we have people saying things like they can't believe there could even be a debate over it, ignorantly labelling this doubtful treatment as "the cure for cancer".

Please be a little less trusting of the multi-billion dollar multi-nationals and the governments they fund and exercise their power over, and a little more prepared to educate yourself independantly. Gardasil claims to target 4 out of 137 strains of HPV, which is one out of over a hundred different STDs, many of which can be fatal.

See the website www.nvic.org as a valuable resource for information the drug companies and the FDA would prefer you not to see, and see http://www.nvic.org/myths.htm just for a primer to the way that truth is manipulated in order to mislead the public and boost vaccine sales.

Cara Fletcher

I think the vaccination for cervical cancer is really good solution and those who teach young girls to abstentation should think about their health and the seriousness of the problem.

Ken

I'm sorry, but we're all too ready to knee-jerk as soon as the word "cancer" is mentioned. With the utterance of that magic word, we immediately bow the knee before the word of wealthy companies with a clear vested interest and doubtful ethics, without demanding solid independantly monitored and verified evidence that not only is the cure effective, but that down the track the cure won't prove to be worse than the disease. Are you people who so readily pour scorn on those who hold that debate is healthy - even necessary - SO willing to take such a risk to prevent ONE STD (among over a hundred) that may never occur, to prevent just ONE form of cancer (among many unrelated to HPV) which it might just have lead to, without even considering the possible unforeseen consequences? And if you are, HOW MANY MORE vaccines will you be willing to pump into your children at the behest of these companies to "prevent" how many more diseases???. YES, one day your children may VERY well turn around and say "I wish to God you had been more responsible and investigated the possible consequences before you vaccinated me".

madcatlady

I too can't believe this id debatable. even if someone makes a bad choice they don't deserve to DIE for it.

btw the reason the vaccination is set so young is because it takes time for full immunity build up. According to what I have read the FDA looked at the average age a girl starts sexual activity at 15 and set the age for vaccination several years younger to make sure girls are fully protected by that age.

Sarah

I believe that if it fights cancer, it should be mandatory. If a child is going to have sex, she's going to have it, whether she has the vaccine or not. As a survivor of cervical cancer, i believe it is a miracle, and should be available to all who want it.

Melissa

I'm fighting my second round of cervical cancer. I can't even believe this is debateable. I'm looking at a complete hysterectomy at 30 because of this cancer. I can't imagine not wanting to prevent that in someone.

jessica

This topic is always hard for me because I was a bit of a wild child and although I want better for my children I sometimes wonder if that is possible. I went to church... my parents told me not to have sex... I did it anyway. So... I am guessing my little ones will have that vaccine when they are old enough. I would rather be safe than sorry.

goodsandwich

Any MANDATORY vaccine is just a crock. Making vaccines AVAILABLE is humane and reasonable.

veronica

I was thrilled when I heard this news item on the radio. I will teach my daughters the same traditional understanding of sexuality I was raised with, but HECK YEAH they'll get the vaccine. Of course. Why would anyone want their daughter to risk a death that can be prevented?

And, um, not to get too disturbing, but even if you are unrealistic enough to believe you can 100% absolutely prevent your daughter from choosing to have sex, there are too many women who have that choice taken from them. Why add one more disease to the pain of that tragedy?

Cathy

On the website you linked, I found this:

11 percent of the doctors said they themselves thought vaccinating against a sexually transmitted disease "may encourage risky sexual behavior in my adolescent patients."

Some parents feel the same way. It's as if they think, gee, my kid gets the vaccine and now they think they have a free ticket to sex or that you are condoning it. As if there isn't still a risk of AIDS, pregnancy, other STDs. There are still risks, this just eliminates one of them. Even if they are abstinent, can the parents assure that the person their kid marries was? And once they are out of our house, it is more difficult to get them to get the vaccine, I would guess. I agree that if given at a young age, they don't need to know how cervical cancer occurs, only that they are getting a shot to prevent it.
I plan to get both girls vaccinated while still under my roof.

sugaredharpy

Just like the above comment, I can't believe we have a cure for cancer and it's a debate. I can't believe anyone would rather watch their daughter die than think of her having sex.

For way too many people, if you're a woman it's better for you to die than have sex.

I can't even fathom wishing that on anyone.

Ginger

I think there is an important fact that we should not overlook. Not all children grow up in loving homes with adults who teach them about the dangers of premarital sex or about sexual activities in general. I teach 7th grade science in a low income area and these children have many misconceptions about sexually transmitted diseases and sex. My district severely ties my hands in what I am aloud to teach and even answer in a one-on-one basis.

We vaccinate children for many things and I think we should vaccinate for this as well. A large potion of America is uneducated. They don't read news stories or search out information on the internet...most of my children I teach at school don't have a computer, much less internet access.

If this vaccine can prevent a horrible disease then I am for it. I have too many 12-year-olds have sex and being exposed to all kinds of things!

Imperfect Mommy

Lynn is so right on... it should just be a standard of care. I read a hilarious comment on another blog this morning about this which said "just the fact that we are seriously considering NOT USING THE CURE FOR CANCER. it sounds like a damn joke." (courtesy of the user "exposed" on Schnozzfest (www.schnozzfest.com)).

abogada

Oh my gosh. I will certainly support abstinance for my daughter, but only she will make decisions for herself when she's not within my reach. I would rather she have the vaccine, of course.

Kris

I had an irregular pap that led to a HPV diagnosis when I was in college. I had been sexually active but just one partner. It was scary! At the time they didn't know which HPVs led to cancer, so for several years I worried about it. So, yeah, I say vaccinate. Even if your daughter abstains until marriage, that doesn't mean she won't get it from her husband and then develop cancer.

Charli

The day before my wedding my doctors office called with the results of my first ever pap smear. Precancerous cells were found in my cervix from HPV. Let me point out that I was 18 when I married, and I have only ever "been" w/ my husband. 1/3 of the cases as well as typed of HPV are not sexually transmitted- or atleast these were the statistics a scared 18 yr old found in early 2002. I support a parents choice to choose if or which vaccines to give a child- but this one I recommend- STRONGLY! If only I had been able to avoid HPV and cervical cancer, my wedding day and honeymoon would have been a lot less stressful.

Amy

I shake my head at this. I contracted HPV when I was 18. It was NOT from having sex but from sexual activity (which is the scariest part of this disease.) And because of that...I developed cervical cancer. GIVE it to them...that's what I say!!

Robin P

My mom and I were talking about this the other day. I don't think I would do it at 11,(Lillianna is 8 1/2 right now)but I would do it before she had sex for the first time. If it was truly recommended at 11 then I would do it.

I want to protect my child from everything which is impossible but I will definitely protect from the things that I can.

No child will turn to their mom and say,"Damn,Mom. Why did you vaccinate me? I truly wanted cervical cancer....now I'll never get it!"

I say VACCINATE!! I honestly can't come up with a reason not to.

Lynn

OK, seriously, how many of your kids have any idea what all their vaccines are for? Adding this one in to protect them from a potentially deadly disease is not a big deal to me. In all likelihood, the daughters will never know that they have been vaccinated against a sexually transmitted disease until well beyond their first sexual encounter (my guess is that they won't know until their OWN kids get the shot) so I don't believe it will lead to more promiscuity. And I am generally conservative!

The comments to this entry are closed.

DotMoms Daily

    follow me on Twitter