I'm really nervous about this vaccine, and I'm very happy that there are several years of testing left before my girls will be old enough for it.
If it's safe and works, great. I just don't know if I believe that YET.
I'm also really concerned about why they are not giving this to boys. I understand that boys don't get HPV, but they ARE carriers. So why are we not vaccinating them as well?
Jennifer Mom to Anabelle: 3/20/04 Mom to Amelia: 12/20/06 Bitsy the greyhound ... our first baby, and forever in our hearts
I would be extremely skeptical about this vaccine. Anyone considering it should take a look at the adverse events that have been reported in the relatively short time since it was approved. It was fast-tracked for approval. Here is a link to adverse events, but it is almost a year old now. http://www.nvic.org/Diseases/HPV/HPV_Vaccine_Safety_Rep..._revised)%5B1%5D.pdf I agree with Moozle that another reason to question it is that it only targets girls and not boys. And is it sound health policy to depend upon a vaccine to prevent a sexually transmitted disease instead of education and barrier methods of prevention. I am concerned that girls and young women will have a false sense of security if they've been vaccinated and engage in riskier behavior than if they hadn't. Yes, it protects against HPV (and I think genital warts), but it will not protect against pregnancy, HIV, gonorrhea and others. I just have this image in my mind of secually active girls saying, "Oh, we don't need a condom - I've had the shot." That would be a devastating (and undocumented) side effect of the shot.
I feel the same way, it seems they get a great drug or vacccine out there, pump people up with it and then 1 or 2 years later they are in the news with law suits because their hearts or livers or something major is permamently damaged. It scares me to give my kids or myself any drug anymore! Especially after seeing the movie "I Legend" with Will Smith a few days ago - it's about the "cure" for cancer mutating and killing people.
We know you are a busy mom and that's why we've created this site to make your life as a parent a bit easier - as well as more fun. TuscMoms.com Editor Kristi Palma is an award-winning journalist with a master's degree from Northeastern. But she's first and foremost a stay-at-home mom to Jack, a blue-eyed banana-lovin' little boy born in November '06. More about us and our editor
We know you are a busy mom and that's why we've created this site to make your life as a parent a bit easier - as well as more fun. TuscMoms.com Editor Kristi Palma is an award-winning journalist with a master's degree from Northeastern. But she's first and foremost a stay-at-home mom to Jack, a blue-eyed banana-lovin' little boy born in November '06. More about us and our editor