Posted on 10/09/2008 8:42:34 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd
ATLANTA (AP) — One in four teenage girls have received the relatively new vaccine against cervical cancer, federal health officials said Thursday.
The figures represent the government’s first substantial study of vaccination rates for the vaccine, Gardasil, which is Merck & Company’s heavily advertised three-shot series that goes after the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus, or HPV. The vaccine protects against strains of the virus that cause about 70 percent of cervical cancers.
Health officials recommend that girls get the shots when they are 11 or 12, if possible, before they become sexually active. Also, 11 is the age when children are generally due for a round of vaccinations.
-SNIP-
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention based the study on household telephone surveys in late 2007. The survey results cover from when the vaccine came on the market, in mid-2006, to when the survey questions were answered.
The results are based on nearly 3,000 girls ages 13 to 17 for whom the researchers could verify vaccination information through medical records.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
This issue is not about being or encouraging sexual activity. This is about the potential ability to prevent the development of a form of cancer by triggering the bodies immune system to hammer a virus which may contribute to the development of the cancer.
Seperate the sex from the medicine. I don't understand why people are connecting them on this issue. Does the flu shot make kids more apt to kiss during flu season, and then progress to other things?
Where is the line? Pick any vaccination - they are mostly for communicable diseases the spread of which is facilitated by close proximity and exchange of one bodily fluid or another. Why not rail against the flu vaccine, or measels, or whatever? If everyone was too scared of getting measels to get busy...
Hard to believe that many got the jab. This is a hugely expensive optional vaccine that requires three separate shots.
Merck is going to be in a lot of trouble in the future from this vaccine, I believe. And any government/school entity that required it. (PS there are always exemptions parents can take, but they are never told that.)
“And even though there are many liberals on this thread tonight that think this HPV vaccine (and all the sex that comes with it) is okee-dokee for their children, I have problems with it.”
You’re allowed to have problems with the vaccine. You don’t have to allow your daughters to get it.
I take exception to your comment about “many liberals on tis thread tonight that think this HPV vaccine (and all the sex that comes with it)”....
All the sex that comes with it? So not getting this vaccine will decrease teen sex? Come on! You can’t possibly believe that. You can’t possibly believe that getting this vaccine will INCREASE teen sex or not getting it will DECREASE teen sex.
I don’t think the vaccine should be mandatory. As far as I know, no State makes this vaccine mandatory.
I think (hope) I have the luxury of a couple more years with my youngings.
In the end, I want to do the right thing, not sure what it is, but it helps knowing others also struggle with it.
Why would I kid anyone about such a serious subject?
I never allowed my children to be vaccinated, and they were the only totally healthy kids in their school.
I have honestly never heard any evidence that a vaccine for HPV will affect sexual activity. If it were AIDS or birth control, yes. But most kids don’t think enough to have HPV as a deciding factor.
This generation of young girls is being used as guinea pigs. We have no idea what the effects of this vaccine will be on their fertility or health in ten to twenty years.
This is another ploy from the liberals who want to allow our teenagers to turn into sexual maniacs. First they brought sex education and homosexuality-friendly agendas into the schools and now this. Next they will require all teenage girls to get birth control shots. You mark my words!
Not everyone’s daughter whores around. I would teach my daughter morals and self respect. I would never allow my daughter to get this. You may as well like giving her permission to date the football team.
Exactly.
I don’t know what the right thing to do is either. I followed the recommendation from their doctor who is a friend. I know it wasn’t about money for him. He’s a friend and is their doctor. Our kids are friends. We socialize.
I struggled with it. Sorta made me think about my parents...and how they struggled with the polio, mmr, etc. vaccines. And, my two oldest got chicken pox so when that vaccine came out, it didn’t impact me until the two little ones didn’t get Chicken Pox. I didn’t get them that vaccine until recently. They’re almost 11 and 13 and haven’t had Chicken Pox yet. So, I caved and got them the vaccine.
I trust our Doctor. He’s a friend. Our kids are friends.
I struggled with this vaccine. Read tons about it on here, too. I went with what our Doctor said.
I know few children who even understand the concept of a vaccine, much less understand what vaccine they are getting (tell them it's for dengue fever).
Is the “barf” supposed to cue us all how to think?
Just curious.
:)
Last March I posted (so did many other FReepers) bogus reports from the CDC that 1 in every 4 teenagers has an STD.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1984010/posts
No one was buying into that CDCrap then, I can’t believe all the goose-stepping going on tonite as some of you are happily endorsing the CDC, Planned Parenthood and other liberal groups in support of Guardasil.
Barf applies to just about anything coming from the CDC.
They have an agenda to place condoms in our schools and Guardasil in our girls.
This seems less than sincere based on the rest of your post...
You and the CDC are in lockstep together. Whatever they say is fine with you. I get it.
On some issues, that is likely the case, agreed. On others it certainly isn't. Case in point, the CDC's past effort to paint gun ownership as a health problem. omplete bullshit.
If the CDC tells you that you or your children must be vaccinated for HPV I will stand by your side opposing that my friend. But, I don't intend to let unsupported opinions from people with no apparent medical training go unchallengend. Heresay is usually poor medical advice. Unfortunately some people will latch onto it, and the consequences could be significant. The difference between your heresay and the vaccine providers is that the vaccine providers had to to at least some (and likely substantial) scientific studies.
I’m asking a lot of FReepers a question tonight. Have I asked you?
I don't think so.
Are YOU doing what the CDC, Planned Parenthood, and other liberals want? Are you providing your children with condoms?
No, at least not yet. My hope is to raise my children so that they understand just how important and wonderful a meaningful monogomous relationship is.
That is the goal. If you think kids won't be tempted, or that kids have the judgement of an adult you, my friend are an idiot. It is not a done deal that young adults will have sex, but ignoring the fact that the issue may arise is sumpremely stupid in my opinion.
I plan to try and help my kids make the right decisions. And it may certainly involve a discussion regarding condoms.
Those who wish to butt their nose into that discussion will find themselves in need of a hanky right quick.
I thought you were kidding. I don’t know the site well enough to know this stuff.
My kids were vaccinated. They’re also really healthy kids. Not sure if they’re healthy because I allow them to play in dirt, don’t obsess about germs, don’t call the doctor when they sneeze, etc. or they just have great immune systems.
You my friend are an idiot.
Whether or not a child "whores aroud" is ny and large the result of the parenting which instills their value as a person and the confidence to expect the respect associated with a meaningful monogomous relationship. A shot for HPV, of the flu vaccine, has little or nothing to do with the morals that a child grows into.
Do you really think a simple vaccination can take the place of good parenting?
Who is endorsing the CDC, Planned Parenthood, and other liberal groups in support of Guardisil(sp)?
Not sure about the CDC, but I do not support Planned Parenthood and their culture of death.
The Guardisil vaccine was recommended by our doctor, our kids’ doctor who is a family friend. Nothing is in it for him. I struggled with this decision and for you to make light of it as you have amazes me. For you to connect it to buying condoms for my daughters says more about you than I care to know. How dare you? I guess you’re perfect. I guess you’re kids are perfect. Have fun up there on that pedestal. RME. The fall down will hurt a whole lot.
“1 in every 4 teenagers has an STD.”
I don’t believe that either. I also don’t think 1 in 4 or 10 or whatever the latest, is homosexual.
I don’t think Gardisil vaccine is about sex.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but this vaccine has nothing to do with STDs or teen sex or Planned Parenthood or any other liberal group.
I don’t support the gardisil debate either way. I did what I thought was best for my two teens, 17 1/2 and 16. You claimed or made a comment about me buying condoms for them. That was wrong and uncalled for, imo. We teach our children our faith (Catholic) and pre- marital sex is a no no. As it was when I was a teen. That certainly doesn’t make it easy or mean teens aren’t going to have sex. And at this point, sex is the least of our problems. IMO.
I got the same reaction from my own doctor, and when I asked our pediatrician what she would do, and she said she would give her daughters the vaccine. SO, I've had two doctors I trust tell me that if (or when) it is their kids, they'd recommend the vaccine.
We have a family friend whose granddaughter became infected with this virus from her first boyfriend at around 17. She developed cancer about two years later. Not only will she never have children (the cancer had spread), but she will never be right, physically. It's been 6 or so years and she still isn't out of the woods.
The first time I ever heard of this, I thought, "how can a virus cause cancer?" But it can and it sometimes does.
As recent individuals in the news show us, we can do all we can to raise our kids to be good, responsible people, but as parents, we can't police the entire world.
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