Middle School offering girls birth control

[russ 1]

Wow! I was first offended that Texas was trying to make it mandatory for 8-10 year old girls to have an experimental vaccine for cervical cancer.

What is offensive about a vaccine that prevents cancer? Are you also offended that the US screens for cervical cancer? (Which is why very few women die from it here and in Western Europe compared to the rest of the world.)

Only 30 of the 100 or so HPV strains are sexually transmitted. 75% of the US population 15-49 has been infected by one. What is so unreasonable about vaccinating against it?

It is also spread by skin contact, bare feet, and medical instruments. This should not be a moral or sex issue. The vaccine is most effective at that age.

Are pap tests offensive as well? Or polio vaccicines?

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Two words

Experimental

Mandatory

[eau_xplain 2]

Yes, this has been a dilemma that my hubby and I are dealing with as our 15-y.o. brings a girlfriend home. We've already given him the "flipping burgers at McDonald's" talk. Hubby is still struggling about handing him condoms as he feels this is tantamount to us consenting to our teenager to have sexual relations with his girlfriend at a very young age. It's really funny because as we grapple with how to handle our teenager's raging hormones, I'm finding my hubby to be more "conservative" about it. In a few months my son will be getting his DL and can drive on his own. Guess I'll have to go get the condoms myself and have the "talk" with my son.

[pedroh 21]

i don't see either how a vaccine can be offensive.. is not that is for something bad.. and i don't see whats wrong with making a vaccine mandatory, thats how massive infections-diseases-whatever are prevented, making everybody take it

Edited October 18, 2007 by pedroh

[trailmix 77]

Two words

Experimental

Mandatory

I didn't mean the HPV vaccine - I meant offering birth control at schools.

I don't know if it should be mandatory, however if I had a daughter she would be standing in line right beside Mags daughter.

[russ 1]

Two words

Experimental

Mandatory

As it was approved by the FDA in 2006 and licensed, I do not see what is "experimental" about it. FDA licenses are the gold standard for drug safety.

If this were a heart attack vaccine, I doubt there would be such opposition.

[Jenn! 918]

i don't see either how a vaccine can be offensive.. is not that is for something bad.. and i don't see whats wrong with making a vaccine mandatory, thats how massive infections-diseases-whatever are prevented, making everybody take it

But cervical cancer is not contagious. I can understand a MMR vaccine being mandatory, but I don't want the government telling me what I have to put in my body unless I would pose a risk.

[Emancipation 2]

I have been on the pill since I was 13 not for reasons of protection but for health reasons. I totally agree with the other posters thoughts on cautioning about giving out the pill willy nilly to every girl because it might give a false sense of security to these girls. It's true it doesn't protect you against STDs or AIDS... also if a teen "forgets" her pill, doesn’t follow directions or isn't as "regular" taking it.. it could also lead to pregnancy. I know at least 2 girls personally who got pregnant while on birth control due to other conflicting drugs that made it less "effective".

On the other hand, as a teen that was on the pill, i didn't have sex. It was my decision to not have sex, and the fact that I was on the pill didn't MAKE me want to have sex.

So.. i see both sides.. and as someone who has worked with teens.. they really want information.. from both sides.. some perspective on why they SHOULD wait.. and some perspective on how to protect themselves against the nasty stuff that's out there in the world today.. Teens are intelligent and have good decision making skills.. (when they use them) The thinking and making decisions though HAS to happen before they get themselves in an emotionally and hormonally charged situation..

[Aymerlu 3]

Wow! I was first offended that Texas was trying to make it mandatory for 8-10 year old girls to have an experimental vaccine for cervical cancer. .

If I had a daughter she would be first in line. Certain strains of cervical cancer are preventable and this vaccine means that one form of cancer can be eradicated and, imo, there is nothing wrong with that. Nothing at all.

The average women will have sex in her life and this form of cervical cancer is caused by HPV which is sexually transmitted. By authorising this vaccine you are not giving girls a free reign to have sex; you are protecting them from a disease that could kill them later on in life.

There's a lot that's not being said about this vaccine. I work for a huge OB/GYN clinic right now and none of the docs are willing to give it. They all say it's way too experimental. There are hundreds of strains of this virus and the vaccine covers a very few of them. Something else I've learned is that not all HPV is sexually transmitted. I've seen nuns, widows, elderly.....those that have never had sex in their life come up with HPV.

[russ 1]

But cervical cancer is not contagious. I can understand a MMR vaccine being mandatory, but I don't want the government telling me what I have to put in my body unless I would pose a risk.

HPV is contagious, and it is what causes most (~90%) cervical cancer cases. It is spread primarily by skin-to-skin contact, so sex is not necessary to cause an infection. Condoms don't prevent it either.

[Jenn! 918]

But cervical cancer is not contagious. I can understand a MMR vaccine being mandatory, but I don't want the government telling me what I have to put in my body unless I would pose a risk.

HPV is contagious, and it is what causes most (~90%) cervical cancer cases. It is spread primarily by skin-to-skin contact, so sex is not necessary to cause an infection. Condoms don't prevent it either.

HPV does not automatically cause cancer. Cancer itself is not contagious.

Thanks but I don't need a biology lesson.

[russ 1]

There's a lot that's not being said about this vaccine. I work for a huge OB/GYN clinic right now and none of the docs are willing to give it. They all say it's way too experimental. There are hundreds of strains of this virus and the vaccine covers a very few of them. Something else I've learned is that not all HPV is sexually transmitted. I've seen nuns, widows, elderly.....those that have never had sex in their life come up with HPV.

As I mentioned above, any skin to skin contact can spread HPV. The Gardisil vaccine covers 4 strains (though they are very common ones associated with cervical cancer). A new vaccine will cover 2 more. Most HPV strains are relatively benign and have not been associated with cervical cancer.

The relectance I have heard from OB/GYNs has more to do with age - they don't see much point in giving the vaccines to women who are already getting pap tests, since they have probably already been infected. I'm not aware of any research justifying use of the vaccine in women over 25, which would be most women getting pap tests or getting pelvic exams.

[Kevin and 10]

Two words

Experimental

Mandatory

As it was approved by the FDA in 2006 and licensed, I do not see what is "experimental" about it. FDA licenses are the gold standard for drug safety.

If this were a heart attack vaccine, I doubt there would be such opposition.

Look how many drugs have been taken off the market in the last few years. Some of the side effects are worse than what the drug is suppose to treat. In the 90's they changed the FDA drug review time from about 30 months down to 15 months.

[Aymerlu 3]

There's a lot that's not being said about this vaccine. I work for a huge OB/GYN clinic right now and none of the docs are willing to give it. They all say it's way too experimental. There are hundreds of strains of this virus and the vaccine covers a very few of them. Something else I've learned is that not all HPV is sexually transmitted. I've seen nuns, widows, elderly.....those that have never had sex in their life come up with HPV.

As I mentioned above, any skin to skin contact can spread HPV. The Gardisil vaccine covers 4 strains (though they are very common ones associated with cervical cancer). A new vaccine will cover 2 more. Most HPV strains are relatively benign and have not been associated with cervical cancer.

The relectance I have heard from OB/GYNs has more to do with age - they don't see much point in giving the vaccines to women who are already getting pap tests, since they have probably already been infected. I'm not aware of any research justifying use of the vaccine in women over 25, which would be most women getting pap tests or getting pelvic exams.

Can you tell me then how these 85 year old women in the nursing homes are getting HPV? What about nuns? Also....I'll share the story of a 8 year old that developed genital warts. Of course everyone was thinking the worst case senerio. What they finally discovered was that mother had HPV (no visible warts) and mother and daughter shared the some loofa. There are some doctors I work with that believes the virus may live on objects such as a shopping cart....someone goes in, touches the cart....later goes to the bathroom....and BINGO there it spreads. I'm sure like many medical issues there's some things that will never be known about this virus.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Next thing you know they will be teaching 6-7 year olds about "alternitive" lifstyles. Oh wait they are doing that too. Gotta love public education.

Huh?