Gardasil: Should we or shouldn't we?

If you are the parent of a young girl or teenager, you have probably had to think about this question:

As a parent, do you choose to vaccinate your child with Gardasil?

Gardasil is a vaccine against four types of the HPV or Human Papillomavirus, two of which cause some cervical cancers and two of which cause the most genital wars. That's what I am reading anyway. I think the "facts" depend on where you are reading this information and the opinion of the person or organization posting it.

There is a big debate/controversy over this vaccine. Is the debate over the fact that this is a new vaccine or is it because the "S" word comes into the equation (you know, S-E-X, and no parent wants to believe their child is going to have sex before they get married and contract HPV as a result...yeah right and I'm the same size 2 I was before I had kids!).

So I am doing some research because my husband and I are going to have to make this decision for our oldest daughter very soon and the rest of our children as well eventually. Here is some of what I am finding. Is it truth? I don't know what the truth is...yet. I do plan to find out.

HPV includes more than 100 different strains of the virus, 30 of which are sexually transmitted, affecting both males and females. You can carry this virus in your system, infecting others, without showing symptoms yourself. Some of these strains can cause cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus, and penis. These are the high risk strains.

How many people are infected right now? According to the CDC, 20 million people are currently infected with HPV. They also say that at least 50% of sexually active men and women will acquire this virus in their lifetime with 6.2 million Americans newly infected each year. I have been told that if you have had unprotected sex with three people, you have an 85% chance of having it already (and imagine all the people your partners have slept with unprotected...and they've slept with...and they've slept with). Talk about 10 degrees of separation! Eek! Unless you have taken a vow of celibacy or can't get a date (or you find that "special" guy or girl that is still a virgin well into adulthood), you have to be realistic about this virus.

Also according to the CDC, 10 of the 30 identified genital HPV types can lead to cervical cancer. Scary statistics when you can't know which strain your partner may be carrying. 3700 women die in the U.S. each year from cervical cancer.

Now let's get to some more information on the vaccine itself -

It is recommended for 11-12 years of age but can be given as soon as nine years old. It is also recommended for 13-26 year old girls who have not completed the vaccine series yet. It is given in three injections over a six month period.

It is supposed to be administered before the child become sexually active (good luck finding that out from your kids). If they are already active, they can still get the vaccine as most girls do not have all four types of HPV and can still benefit.

IS IT SAFE?

The CDC says it has been tested on 11,000 females around the world, including the U.S. They say it is safe and caused no serious side effects. Brief soreness at the injection site is the main complaint (as expected for any vaccine).

Edited to add 10/19/09: I have since done a lot of personal research on this vaccine because I have three daughter's and it is important to make knowledgeable, safe decisions concerning their health. I have since found too many major side effects that girls have been experiencing (convulsions, passing out, death) and we have decided with no uncertainty whatsoever that our girls will not be getting this vaccine.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Current average cost is $119.75 per dose. However, many insurances cover them. I checked with our insurance company and ours covers it. I believe Medicaid covers them as well though you should check with your caseworker.

FUTURE VACCINES:

There is another vaccine in trial right now that is supposed to protect against the two types of HPV that cause 70% of cervical cancers. Something to look for in the future along with more controversy I would imagine.

So where is the controversy? How many parents took their pre-teen or teen into their family doctor or pediatrician for the meningococcal vaccination because it was recommended before they started high school but didn't get the gardasil vaccine? Why? Was it because gardasil has some relation so that word again S-E-X? Parents don't want to vaccinate their kids against an STD. Are you vaccinating your child against an STD or are you protecting them from some cancers caused by some strains of HPV?

If the medical community came out with a vaccine that prevented lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer - would you get the vaccine? I think there would be many more people lining up for that vaccine as opposed to the gardasil because THOSE vaccines aren't to protect against something you get having S-E-X. There is that word again.

So, as a mom to three beautiful girls and one gorgeous son, what is my concern with this vaccine? Why haven't I had our ten year old vaccinated already?

1. Because I have a little more time to make up my mind still. That is one reason.
2. Because I want to know more about the FUTURE effects (or is it affects? somebody get the spelling police please) of this vaccine on my children.

I am not concerned about the S-E-X connection to this vaccine. I'm not stupid or naive. I know my kids will be sexually active when THEY want to, not when "I" want them too. Whether they are dating the head cheerleader, quarterback, math club president, band member or boy next door, a majority of children WILL become sexually active before they are 18. (How many of us were sexually active before 18? Do you think your kids are going to be any different, especially in this day and age when they are doing things younger and younger now?) I believe that I can't pretend that isn't going to happen and it is my job as a parent to give them the knowledge they need to protect themselves, while giving them my opinion and hopes that they wait.

Let's look at a NBC/People poll that took place almost three years ago. Nearly 3 in 10 teens (age 13 - 16) are sexually active and have been with another intimately and/or sexually. 30% of 13-16 year olds are sexually active. So get your daughter and nine of her friends together. At least three of them are likely sexually active (maybe more because let's face it, how many kids will readily admit to this to an adult). Is it your daughter or son? Have you given your child the tools they need to know how to protect themselves if they are? Do you feel you should or are you just going to get mad at them when they contract an STD or get pregnant?

As I read this, it looks like I am for this vaccine. I haven't made up my mind yet. Like I said, we have a little time left. However, I DO know that our decision won't be based on the controversy over it being related to an STD that makes up our mind. I won't stick my head in the sand, or up my behind, and pretend my kids aren't going to do things that I would rather them not do in a few years. I will protect them even if it means giving them the knowledge to protect themselves against STD's and pregnancy should they become sexually active and that includes HPV. I don't care that this vaccine is related to S-E-X (come on, if you HAVE given birth to kids, you have had S-E-X so GET OVER IT ALREADY). SEX! SEX! SEX! SEX! Say it a few hundred times and maybe you won't be so uptight about it. What I care about is protecting my children against everything I can protect them against.

If I determine that this vaccine would be more harmful than helpful, I would be against it. I haven't determined that yet. I am still researching it, but I like I said, the controversy over this being STD related is just stupid. What I want to know is down the road, will this negatively affect my children in any way? If they are vaccinated, will they have fertility problems down the road or pass along birth defects to their children? Will this "cause" something else? If I don't have them vaccinated, will one of them get a strain of the HPV that causes cervical cancer when I could have prevented that? Could I have prevented my daughter from getting cervical cancer and putting her through the cancer treatments and possibly losing her? Could I have prevented my grandchild from losing their mother? Those are my concerns and that weighs heavily. That is why I am researching this. I am not blindly following the medical community's advice to vaccinate automatically but I won't turn away from it either.

I think my children are way too important to blindly go one way or the other without taking the time to research this for them. I also won't make decisions based on some parts of society's hang ups over my kids becoming sexually active. I won't parent with my head up my behind choosing to ignore the fact that they likely will become sexually active at some point before they are 18. We will have to weigh both sides of this "controversy" from a health standpoint and make our decision to the best of our ability.