Gardisil Shots for 13 Year Old

From reading all of the responses, this is a hot topic. For better or for worse, when my 15 year old son first became an adolescent I was told that I didn't have a right to his medical record unless he permitted. I responded with "yet I have to pay for it?". The law has found it fit for our teenagers to have all and exclusive rights to their sexual health. Giving our children a strong foundation including a thorough knowledge base of all things important (sex, drugs, abuse, etc). On one hand I understand parents concern and resistance about this, on the other hand, I've known awful parents that would unleash a barrage of fury on their child if they found out about any of this.

As far as vacccinations are concerned, you'll find any number of arguments on either side. Being in the health care profession I can tell you that having these diseases is devastating. 100 years ago there was a much higher percentage of childhood deaths, many of which due to these diseases. Now, a child's death is the most rarest death in the first world countries in large part due to vaccinations. Imagine what it would be like if there had been no smallpox vaccine.

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I want to start by saying that everyone has a right to her own opinion... But I am OUTRAGED by some of the responses that you have received here. If this were me 10-15 years ago and my mother had the option to give me a vaccine or not, she probably wouldn't have (it obviously wasn't around then, I haven't received the vaccine, just making a point). And her reason would've been that she would think it would make me think it was okay to have sex if I had gotten it (we went through this regarding birth control). You know what? I had sex anyway. If my mother had denied me this vaccine and I later got HPV and/or cervical cancer, guess who I would eternally blame? My mother. She didn't want me on birth control. Luckily I had a RIGHT to get my own confidential medical care. The best you can do as a mother is talk to your child and be open with them and hope they make the best choices for themselves. My mother believed in abstinence and wouldn't even discuss it any further with me. I am so glad I was intelligent enough to get on birth control (even if I wasn't smart enough to wait to have sex-I'll admit that).

In my opinion, the best you can do is TALK with your child. Do all of your research and share it with her. Give her the pros and cons and let her make her decision. You have every right to have an opinion and tell her you feel strongly about it. Ultimately, I will let my daughter decide regarding vaccines when she is of age to discuss it (I have a 13 year old neice and I believe she is FULLY capable of the discussion and choice). Currently she is not able to, so I make the decision regarding her vaccines.

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I wanted to respond to something Allison K. mentioned in her response. She mentioned this vaccine is the only other preventative other than condoms for HPV. I want to stress that condoms DO NOT protect against HPV. A condom does not cover the entire genital area, and HPV can be found on these areas and transmitted when rubbing against them. I used condoms every time and I still contracted HPV. Now I have pre-cancerous cells and have just gone through a cone biopsy, which will hopefully be my cure. If not, I will either need a hysterectomy and/or radiation therapy. I only wish I had known about this virus when I was younger. I can't recommend whether or not she should continue with the vaccine. It is a personal decision that you will need to help her make. Thank you for taking the time to research such an important health decision.

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Hi M. -

If the grandmother is the legal guardian of your niece, then she had the legal right to agree to the vaccination, so there was nothing untoward there.

Secondly, Gardasil is recommended by the American Pediatric Association for girls between 9 and 15. The only caveat they offer is that it is unknown at this time if the vaccination 'wears off' over time. There are no concerns about the safety or short term efficacy of the vaccine.

Finally, I believe that it is critical that all girls get this vaccine. I would not wait, as the APA recommends, until a girl is on the verge of becoming sexually active. That's like buying insurance just before before your house burns down. :) My daughter will get the vaccine on her ninth birthday -- and I pray that researchers are able to continue to develop vaccines for other forms of virus-induced cancers.

J.

BY THE WAY -- a bit off topic here, but: There are several responses here alluding to a connection between mercury in vaccines and Autism. I work with autistic spectrum youth every day of my life. My son has autism.

First, there is NO PROVEN LINK to mercury in vaccines to autism.

Second, if you, like I, worked in this field, you would know that there is a GENETIC component to autism. You don't just 'get it'. I have sensory issues, my ex-husband has some social issues -- while we are both perfectly 'normal' (whatever the hell that is) we both carry some part of the autism equation that played out in our son. I see this over, and over, and over again.

Meanwhile, TB is on the rise again as is whooping cough and other nearly-eradicated childhood diseases, in part because parents are now afraid to immunize their children.

While the cause of autism is not fully known, not getting your child immunized will not protect him from being autistic. It will cause him to be at risk for any number of diseases -- some of which are fatal.

Think.

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My teenage daughter has gotten the whole series of Gardisil shots at her pediatrician's office on his recommendation (and my research; I am an internist). It is not clear yet how effective it will be but it is the best we have, as yet, to having a cancer vaccine. I have not heard of any significant adverse effects. It is important to get the vaccine BEFORE they can possibly acquire the HPV (human papilloma virus). It is not that I think my daughter is sexually active (I am almost positive she is not) but someday she will be and I would like her to be protected as much as possible.

My other daughter, age 11, has not yet gotten it but most likely will, when the time comes. You still have the choice whether to complete the series or not. But I doubt there will be any negative consequences of her having gotten the first vaccine.

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I think it's actually great that she is vaccinated against this. HPV can cause all kinds of problems up to and including cervical cancer. Even if your niece is a virgin until she's married (let's face it, in this day and age that's not likely to happen), she could get HPV from her husband, if he's not a virgin. This has nothing to do with promiscuity, it's a basic protection against cancer. I will definitely be getting this vaccination for both of my daughters when they are old enough. I read somewhere that a huge percentage (like 50% or more) of adults have or have had HPV in some form, so it's extremely common and because it's a virus, not always treatable. Vaccination could save her life - why not do it.

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We've given lots of these--if your niece is covered by Medi-Cal, CHDP, insurance--the cost--$120 EACH, not for all 3, is comvered.

It is a good shot--anything that will lessen HPV rates is a good thing, especially if you see as many side effects from them in young women as I do. The only real side effects we've seen before is a sore arm for a few days, and about 1/5 of the girls have a low grade fever/general yuckyness in a day or two.

I made sure my own child got hers--were 2 shots into the series--and she WILL be going back for the 3rd!

S.

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HPV can cause Genital warts when you did your research did you also look up the treatment for genital warts? I've heard it's not pleasant. I have a 16 yr old virgin and I talked to her doctor who is a Doctor at UC Davis medical center. He recommended the shot only because HPV is so prevalent that you don't know you have it until you have a pelvic exam. And then its too late, if I could get it I would just because the person I have been with has had other partners before. He's my only one, I don't have HPV thank goodness but still I would have the shots just to safeguard against any form of cervical cancer since my mom had precancerious cells and kept having abnormal paps.
And despite what one poster wrote you cannot get HPV because a parent had warts on their hands. Its a sexually transmitted disease the only way she got it was she had to have sex with someone. As for the lawyer, he/she is an ambulance chaser. As soon as drugs come out on the market lawyers instantly want to stir up the pot to get class action lawsuits going. They have no scruples anymore and your niece is at the age that she can legally go to planned parenthood or other health clinic and get information and birth control without your knowledge or consent. Thank good ness you raised her right that she felt comfortable enough to tell you about the shot. She made an informed decision on her own, whether you like it or not. As for follow up shots if you do let her are covered by insurance if you have it. Or you can contact merck and/or planned parenthood to see what they would charge for the other 2 shots. My daughter will be going in for her second one next month and I plan to take her in or she will go herself via literail.

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I don't know if you have received a response yet, but I am a gynecologic oncologist (and mother of 2). Gardasil is a vaccine against 4 strains of the HPV virus. 2 of the strains are the most common cause of cervical cancer, and 2 are against the most common cause of genital warts. in the FDA trials required for approval, it was highly effective with minimal to no side effects (local irritation really the only side effect). Administering the vaccine prior to any onset of sexual activity is expected to be the most effective, and I absolutely highly recommend that all mothers have their daughters vaccinated. There really is no downside other than cost. The impact of cervical cancer (and precancerous changes as well) is significant and can be avoided with this vaccine.
Take care.

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I think you are absolutely right to be concerned. Not because I'm anti-vaccination, but because I think that this is a very weird way to market a vaccination, and I do not think it's necessary, not even as necessary as rubella or measles. It doesn't prevent cervical cancer, it only prevents about 4 different kinds of targeted viruses from replicating (the rest are left alone) that are identified causes of cervical cancer and honestly, this is not a deadly cancer to get.

My daughter will not be getting this shot unless she decides, at a later date, that she wants it. Luckily we have about 6 more years before the "pressure" will be on, and by then we will have a better idea of how the vaccinations hold up over a longer time in very young children.

She will have regular visits to the gyno, since I am a western medical preventive treatment nerd.

I'm no prude, I think kids need to know all the health hazards and happiness that comes with a robust and active sex life, but I do not think that vaccinations fix everything, nor do I think they are always compellingly necessary. For example, there was one person lower down who said HPV is not the regular wart on a hand. Actually, that's all a papilloma is. A warty growth. Lots of viruses cause it. The cauliflower looking ones that can invade the genital region could grow anywhere under the right conditions, they just like mucus membranes and darkness. Lots of different ones like to grow in there, and they only show up sometimes with a swab of white vinegar and a blacklight. That's why you need a pap smear, to check for precancerous cells, which could actually be caused by any number of things (not limited to the 4 warts they can vaccinate against.) Sorry, but this is just not worth it. If they increased the vaccination strength by about 50 with no undo health problems, cool. I'd consider it. Your daughters should all still go to the doctor for paps regularly though.

And I don't think anyone has done anything "wrong" by insisting their girls are vaccinated. I think that if you have dealt with this sort of thing in your own life that you are more interested in keeping your girls safe from the stuff you faced. I just think it's a personal choice, and my current choice would be "no."

If my kid decided to have sex, maybe we will consider it at that time. But I am not going to be overalarmist and have her vaccinated for one of the most survivable cancers known to mankind that is triggered by only a few of the many types of wart viruses that have evolved to plague us. I could see a "vaccine expo" as a great way to get kids vaccinated if they were, for instance, vaccinating against against breast cancer or herpes or HIV. So, if they come up with those ones and mass market them to my kid when she grows up to the tween years, then we're sold.

I seriously do not equate gardisil with the smallpox vaccine. I also laughed when I read that someone else said you get HPV from multiple sex partners, oh lordy. When will we learn that all it takes is once? That said, I'm still not interested in my kid getting vaccinated for it.

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please read this info here: http://www.nmaseminars.com/HPVpage.html

it's been written by dr. sherri tenpenny who has done THOUSANDS of hours of research on vaccines. she has many credentials and is not a raving lunatic or trying to use scare tactics. please read the info on her site (i'd also recommend her dvd's and books, they aren't specific to gardisil, but well worth the time).

hope that helps.

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M.-

My 14 year old is due for her last shot next month. I spoke with her pediatrician about it and a good friend who is a pediatrician about it. (Both Dr.s are women) They believe in it and will give it to their daughters and I believe anything that I can do to help my daughter not get cervical cancer is a good thing. Of course this is a personal decision.

Good luck,
M.

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I'm sorry but I have to say that I wish this would have been around when I was younger. It would have saved me a lot of heartache. And to those saying that it happens to girls who are promiscuous are fooling yourselves. You can tell your daughters to not have sex until they're married and even if they wait they can still catch hpv from their husbands. I have HPV and I caught it from my ex-husband. He cheated on me and brought it home to me. I didn't even know until 6 months after we had seperated. Don't punish the victims by saying we wouldn't have an STD if we weren't sleeping around. When that isn't always how it happens. While I think there should be research done before any new vaccine is given I also think it's a better idea to be safe than sorry. I would rather pay $360 in preventative care then all the bills later for the treatment to remove the genital warts (which is very painful) or to treat cancer. Just something to think about.

-Jennifer

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Gardisil is a great HPV prevention vaccination! I think that you should definitely continue the shot schedule. Yes, it is pricey, but it is worth it to help prevent her getting HPV in the future. I was told 80-85% of girls would have it or get it by the age of 18! Good luck!

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Wow, I feel your concern and outrage. While I think the gardasil shot is in general a good idea, there is no way I would be happy if my child came home with a medical treatment I wasn't involved in. At this point all you can do is just try to keep a level head and talk to your/her doctor. Also talk to grandma and see if you can find out just what happened...and maybe if you are feeling ambitious, talk to the health fair sponsers about what permission procedures are being used.
meanwhile, good luck and keep open conversation with your daughter about your concerns. converse...not lecture, right? cuz who among us ever really listened to a parent lecture...

i think that knowledge is power, and the more knowledge she has about her sexual health, the more power she will have.

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Whether you agree with the need for this vaccination or not I am angered at the thought these are given without a parents consent! My family has had very adverse reactions to vaccines (fortunately no autism) and I personally don't feel this vaccine has been researched well enough. I don't remember the exact numbers now, but I was not impressed with the small study group, the limited number of HPV strains it protects against and the short length of time the studies were done. The FDA even when approving this vaccine admonished the drug company for not doing more thorough studies. Cervical Cancer is a very serious disease and I'm all for protecting women from it, I just don't want to find myself in the situation where I think I'm protecting my daughter only to find out later she has other serious health issues because the drug companies rushed this to market for their financial gain. People have poo poo'd this idea, but what about Thilidamide Babies? The Vioxx Scandal? DES Daughters? Until I see more studies I won't give this to my daughter. I think you were right to be scared and freaked out.

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Hi M.. Personally, I'd be outraged if my child had received a shot without my permission. The school system overstepping their authority is the main reason I chose to homeschool my children years ago.

I see there are a lot of people on this forum that have bought into the hype surrounding Gardasil. During your research about the vaccine, did you discover that Gardasil only protects against 4 of the over 100 strains of HPV, and only 2 of those lead to cervical cancer? How about the fact that research shows the virus is not only transmitted through sexual intercourse, but can be transmitted during touching or even from inanimate objects such as towels and underwear. A recent study shows that the virus was living under the fingernails of young men. Does that mean it could be transmitted through holding hands? How does Gardasil protect against that?

HPV is the most common STD out there and can be found in 1 out of 4 people. Most people are asymptomatic and never know they're carrying it. It can lie dormant for years, then suddenly show itself in the form of warts or abnormal cells during a pap smear. I know this from personal experience. I was not aware I had HPV until I had been married over 4 years.
It's gone back to being dormant (4 years now), but I know it's still there and can present itself at any time.

My personal opinion is that anyone who believes their daughter is safe from contracting HPV or cervical cancer because they've been vaccinated has been lulled into a false sense of security by the makers of this vaccine. The best way to keep from developing cervical cancer is to get regular pap smears from the doctor, have any abnormal cells checked and precancerous lesions removed as soon as possible.

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