I just got back from taking Keely to the pediatrician. She turns 11 this Friday so I asked the Ped what she thought about Gardasil and when she would recommend starting it. At first I was all prepared to go ahead and have Keely start the series but after talking to the Ped (who also has a 12yo daughter who will not be getting it), I have decided to not do it....at all.
1. It's a $1,000 for the 3 shot series...which basically means that kids who are at highest risk for contracting HPV through inappropriate behavior (who are also in general, the poorest) would be denied the vax because only those who can afford it would be getting it. Ped went into culteral differences in Texas and what groups she feels would most benefit but that those same groups ARE in fact the poorest in Texas.
Also, in Texas, one of the reasons Gardisil is being pushed for our pre-teen girls is bc there are cultures where the girls are having sex younger and start having their babies by the time they are 14-15-16 yo. BUT it is a CULTURAL thing....it shouldn't be pushed for preteens across the board.
2. The vax is still too new to know the full effects and how long it will last, AND exactly which strains of HPV it will protect against. Also, like with any vax, just bc you got the series does NOT guarentee immunity.
3. This generation of young girls being recommended to get it are in fact the test group. The girls that will benefit most at this point will be our daughters' daughters.
4. What good does it do to vax only the girls when the girls are getting HPV from the BOYS...vax both or it does no good.
The Peds main thing was common sense....TALK to your daughters, let them know there is a time for everything (including sex), give them what they need at home so they aren't out looking for it someplace else, and KEEP THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN AND WITHOUT JUDGEMENT...if our daughters feel like we are going to judge them then they won't trust us to help them navigate through the emotions they will encounter in their teen years.
SO...just thought I would pass along the info I got from our Ped. I really was all gung ho for Keely to start the series...I mean geez a vax against CANCER! But according the Ped, the reality is that the rate of cancer from HPV is still too low for her to feel comfortable enough with the vax to even give it her own child...and of course there are no guarentees.
All in all, and to end my novel...I think there is great potential in a vax like Gardasil, but be sure to talk to your Ped and gather your own info.
-- Edited by CheleLyn on Tuesday 18th of August 2009 01:35:02 PM
I thought it would be, but she made it sound like it may not be...like private insurance or medicaid would really balk at paying out $1000 for 3 shots...which would then be out of pocket. I would think that if it became one of those mandadted vax that kids would need to go to school, it would definately be covered, but idk, really. Gov Perry tried to make it manadatory for school but it didn't go over well and and he cancelled that thought.
I always just looked at it as a vax against cervical cancer rather than a vax against an STD, but after talking with her, the fact that it MAY prevent cervical cancer isnt really going to be able to be proven for something like 20 years --- comparing those who end up with cervical cancer who got it as a result of HPV and had the vax against those who got cancer from HPV who didn't get the vax. Therefore at this time, she really just sees it as a vax against an STD....which could be prevented by teaching kids about abstinence and safer sex practices.
Another thing she discussed was the timeline of hypersexual activity from the 60s til now...and the increase of all the diseases mostly coming from a result of that activity and its subsequent decrease--especially after HIV came to the forefront in the early 80s and how education is what she feels is the most important for the average family.
