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Original poster

HPV vaccine for boys?

46 replies

30scrisis · 03/03/2021 16:10

DS has been offered the HPV vaccine. I've read some positive and negative research, have been very careful where I've got my research from. As a parent though, would you give your son this? He's been offered it a bit older due to covid delaying him having had it last year. He's also due the Men awcy at the same time.

I wouldn't say I'm anti vax, my children have had all of their necessary vaccines, however I have refused the covid vaccine for myself.

So just looking to be a bit more informed really! Thanks.

OP posts:
Brogues · 03/03/2021 16:11

I’ll accept your statement that you are not an anti vaxxer and ask why you don’t think he should have the hpv jab as part of normal childhood vaccinations?

Original poster
30scrisis · 03/03/2021 16:14

@Brogues

I’ll accept your statement that you are not an anti vaxxer and ask why you don’t think he should have the hpv jab as part of normal childhood vaccinations?
Honestly? Because I'm a worrier. I read into everything. I have said yes by the way I'm just not sure it's the right decision but happy to be told I'm wrong.
OP posts:
Tittyfilarious · 03/03/2021 16:15

@30scrisis I was torn over this at first but decided to allow my son to have it, he's having his 2nd dose on Friday that he should have already had but was delayed because of Covid. I decided to let him have it as he's had all his other vaccines.

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Honeybobbin · 03/03/2021 16:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Inastatus · 03/03/2021 16:17

Both my DD and my DS have had the HPV vaccine.

PinkDaffodil2 · 03/03/2021 16:17

What negative research have you come across? Without specifics it’s difficult to help you be better informed because we don’t know what your concerns are.

Brogues · 03/03/2021 16:18

Worried about what in particular was really my question I suppose. Do you think it won’t benefit him or are them some side effects that you think outweigh the risk?

PearlescentIridescent · 03/03/2021 16:20

Wow this is interesting I had no idea boys were offered HPV! I thought it was for cervical cancer.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help OP. I wouldn't be concerned about vaccines they really are robustly tested :)

DinosaurDiana · 03/03/2021 16:21

My DD is 24 and was one of the first year to have it, I think.
It’s not a new vaccine.

PinkDaffodil2 · 03/03/2021 16:21

Medically there are obvious, proven benefits but to your sons health and that of his sexual partners, and very low risk of medical side effects. However I understand some parents worry that the HPV vaccine would encourage promiscuity / homosexuality - is this the sort of research you’re concerned about?

PearlescentIridescent · 03/03/2021 16:23

However I understand some parents worry that the HPV vaccine would encourage promiscuity / homosexuality - is this the sort of research you’re concerned about?

Shock
PinkDaffodil2 · 03/03/2021 16:23

@PearlescentIridescent it’s partly to protect girls, like giving boys and girls rubella vaccine, however also prevents a lot of oral / penile / anal cancers in men, especially men who have sex with men who the jab had been available to for a few years.

IWishIWasABaller · 03/03/2021 16:23

My teen son has received his first HPV vaccine and was due the second but it's obviously delayed due to coronavirus . His older sister also got it. Don't understand why someone would refuse Hmm

PearlescentIridescent · 03/03/2021 16:25

@DinosaurDiana I am 27 and had HPV when I was around 15, definitely not new you're absolutely right.

PearlescentIridescent · 03/03/2021 16:26

@PinkDaffodil2 thank you for explaining and I'm very glad it's offered. Shameful that anybody would object on the grounds of the reasons you listed earlier. I'm glad my boys will have it

Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear · 03/03/2021 16:26

I am so glad boys are offered it now, if they weren't I would have paid for DS to have it as I did for the chickenpox vaccine.

I want to protect any women he has relationships with in the future and also protect my son from some mouth, throat, anal and genital cancers as well as some protection from genital warts.

titchy · 03/03/2021 16:27

Because I'm a worrier. I read into everything.

You'd worry more if he got penile cancer.... or was responsible for giving his partner cervical cancer.

Busygoingblah · 03/03/2021 16:30

I’m about to turn 29 and had the hpv vaccine at school (well in 6th form to be precise). Definitely not a new or untested vaccine!

PinkDaffodil2 · 03/03/2021 16:32

@PearlescentIridescent it’s interesting because to be most effective you really need to give it before someone starts having sex, so 12/13 is the right age as we know a considerable minority of 14 and 15 year olds are sexually active.
My MIL declined for her daughter on the grounds that she’ll not be having sex till marriage and will surely marry a virgin so there’s no risk to her Confused
I’m sure a similar set of parents now are sure their 12 year old son will never be gay, so is less in need of protection.

FeralWoman · 03/03/2021 16:41

Dr Ian Frazer, one of the creators of the vaccine, has vaccinated his sons with it. Pretty sure you can take that as a vote of confidence in the safety and usefulness of the vaccine for boys.

One of the reasons it wasn't always offered to boys was that the clinical trials of it were only done in girls and women initially. It took a few more years for the clinical trials to be done for boys.

In Australia it's on the vaccination schedule for both girls and boys.

User65412 · 03/03/2021 16:42

I think it's only been offered to boys since 2019.

Tangledtresses · 03/03/2021 16:44

My son had it... and if that prevents one woman dying of cervical cancer I'm all for it!

Alfaix · 03/03/2021 16:45

HPV causes oral cancer so you would be being an unreasonable and negligent parent to refuse it for him.
I’m wondering why you have refused the Covid vaccine and yet say you’re not a —nutcase— anti vaxxer?

mumwon · 03/03/2021 16:46

why have you decided against the covid vax op-out of interest?

FeralWoman · 03/03/2021 16:47

It's been approved for boys in Australia since 2013, so I'm confident that it's safe.