Hey BettyBee,

We are not doctors here…but we do share our personal opinions. I personally am not 100% sold on the idea. I would discuss all concerns with your gyno! I also question how many years does the vaccine protect you for? Is it like the hepatitis vacccine that they were pushing? The hepatitis vaccine is not forever either. PRACTICE SAFE SEX!

These are replies to the post that came through private email. These people wanted to participate, but also remain private. I hope this doesn’t confuse you further!

 1.from the center for disease control:

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/hpv/

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus that is spread through sexual contact. Most of the time HPV has no symptoms so people do not know they have it.

There are approximately 40 types of genital HPV. Somes types can cause cervical cancer in women and can also cause other kinds of cancer in both men and women. Other types can cause genital warts in both males and females. The HPV vaccine works by preventing the most common types of HPV that cause cervical cancer and genital warts. It is given as a 3-dose vaccine.

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/hpv/vac-faqs.htm

 Does the vaccine protect against cervical cancer?

Yes, The Gardasil HPV vaccine is the first vaccine developed to prevent cervical cancer. This new vaccine is highly effective in preventing HPV infection, the major cause of cervical cancer in women. The vaccine protects against four types of HPV, including two that cause about 70% of cervical cancer.

(Emphasis Added)

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/vaers/FDA_and_CDC_Statement.htm

The FDA approved Gardasil vaccine on June 8, 2006 for use in girls and women 9 through 26 years of age. This vaccine prevents infection with the types of HPV that cause most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts. CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended routine 3-dose vaccination of girls aged 11 and 12 years. The vaccine is also recommended for girls and women ages 13 through 26 years who have not yet been vaccinated or who have not received all 3 doses.

Gardasil was tested in over 11,000 women in the United States and around the world, and found to be safe and effective in preventing serious HPV-related diseases.  These studies showed that in women who have never been infected by HPV types 6, 11, 16 or 18, the vaccine is highly effective, both in preventing precancerous lesions that often develop into cancer of the cervix, vagina, and vulva, and in preventing genital warts often caused by these HPV types. This vaccine is an important cervical cancer prevention tool that will potentially benefit the health of millions of women. Every year, about 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and almost 4,000 die from this disease in the United States. Worldwide, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women, causing an estimated 470,000 new cases and 233,000 deaths per year.

 2.   I know I need to go on your website, but my take on the vaccine, which (my child) has had, is why not take it — better to be somewhat protected then not at all!! 

3.  Not enough information and too soon to know what the long term effects will be

4. (from a registered nurse:  It is definitely worth.  Very soon it will become mandatory.

5. I was really tossed on this. I even waited a while before I decided to give it to my daughter. My thoughts are:

There are so many different strains  and knowing that no male would even care since they can't get the disease only transmit it, I wanted to give her at least a fighting chance. She has had all of the other vaccinations so why not this one. My other thought was, with the way the world is expanding, there are a lot more diseases that are coming back that had been eradicated due to foreigners who don't get vaccinated. I think in the end, it's a personal choice.

From:   Lsaporit0
Date:     05/16/2009 18:32
Subject:     one more word on Gardasil
     

While a lot of girls have had it and are fine (now… who knows what will happen when they try to reproduce) it's not exactly good science to administer a series of injections with such high risk and no evidence that it will prevent cervical cancer.  For me, the biggest problem is that they are using an ingredient, polysorbate 80, that is currently being studied by the UN to stop fertility for women in the third world.  What is that doing in a vaccination for our girls?
Please, everyone, think long and hard before you suggest to anyone that they get this vaccination.  And let's hope that all who already have had the vaccine will have no trouble having children.  The former president of the American Holistic Pediatric Association spoke at our school in February and outlined for us the dramatically different vaccination schedule for a child born in 2005 versus the child born in 1985.  There are far too many questions for us to feel comfortable following some of these new guidelines.
Keep questioning, okay?