First let me say that I am a registered nurse with 25+ years of experience, including time in the pharmaceutical research industry. Both of my kids had everything recommended, until this vaccine. So as one of the other's posted, I'm not anti-vaccine, just anti-THIS vaccine.
When my now 16 year old was just 11, our doctor at the time, all but insisted she receive the HPV vaccine JUST 2 MONTHS after it had been approved. Because it was so new, and I had a few reservations about it anyway. When I politely declined, this doctor just went off on me, IN FRONT of my daughter. I left there madder than a hornet and set out to find out as much as I could about this vaccine. I have spoken to many groups and even been on a local radio show discussing this issue.
I won't get into all the politics behind this vaccine or the hot-button issues but just state facts as I found them when I did my research.
-It has not been well researched. As someone said the longest anyone was followed was 4 years and that was with the adult subjects. The only 1500, 9-16 year old girls (yes 9 year olds) were only followed 18 months.
-There were 12,000 women from 13 different countries who participated in the original studies. Most of those countries do not or have not adopted the pap smear as a routine screening which has decreased the cervical cancer risk in the US by 75%
-The placebo used in the initial studies had an aluminum base instead of a saline base which is usually standard. There are a ton of health issues associated with aluminum. So by having a placebo with such additives can give the impression that the actual vaccine is safer than it really is since people will react to the placebo as well.
-There are over 100 HPV strains this only covers 2 that are LINKED to NOT CAUSE cervical cancer. The other 2 strains are against cervical warts which do NOT lead to cervical cancer.
-Most of us have been exposed to and have even had an HPV strain in our lives. But 90% of us will clear the virus on our own, with a healthy immune system and never know we've had it.
-And because most of us have already had a strain, unless doctors are doing HPV screening prior to ever vaccination they give, the shots may be worthless. Or even worse, I think the statistic is they have seen a 45% increase in women with one of the strains AFTER the vaccine, because they probably had the strain prior to getting the vaccine.
-We do not know the long term side effects or the cumulative effects of years and years of getting this vaccine. If my 11 year old would have gotten the series then, it only lasts 4-5 years so she'd have had the set again by now. Just because she had no side effects at the time of injection, arthritis and miscarriage was very high in the study groups. And are continuing to be seen now.
-There are almost 90 deaths being reported as linked to the HPV vaccine and more than 25,000 significant events.
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I could go on and on with just the facts, and still stay away from the politics. But the politics are very significant as well.
Google, Dr. Diane Harper. She was on the original research team and has been very vocal that yes this vaccine has it's place but not with the little girls it's being marketed to.
For me and my family, we chose to to stay away from this one. Even though I have very strong opinions and I feel have done my research, I support my friends to make the decisions they feel best for their family.
Oh, and even as a nurse I have never had a flu shot, ever. Nor has anyone in my family. Not even the H1N1.