HPV vaccine uncertainties

[Vaccidilemma]

My daughter (12) has been offered the vaccine at school in the coming weeks.

I have always been of the view that she should take the vaccine, she has had all of her childhood vaccines and I’ve seen evidence of significantly lower rates of cancer in younger 20-30 year olds.

Right so my issue now is that my partner is of the opposing view that he is concerned about the adverse effects and has been led to believe that it will lead to some quite nasty long term irreversible issues. I’ve had a look online and I’m also seeing anecdotal evidence of these issues so I’m also now uncertain. I realise that we are only going to hear about the people who have had problems and that these are more vocal, especially within the anti vax community.

I want to protect her against this horrible disease but what if she is one of the few who do experience problems?

has anyone delayed it for similar reasons?

has anyone paid privately when they are no longer eligible to receive it on the NHS? If so, how much and did you have any obstacles in being able to get it?

Does anyone regret their decision either way?

AiBU to ask?

thank you

I didn’t get mine in school, now from 26 to now I’ve always had HPV found in every smear. I’ve had multiple colposcopies due to changes in cells and yearly smear tests.

Ive not read the full thread but I’d get the vaccine. A girl I went to school with died at just turned 18 with cervical cancer so I’m always on at my friends re smears etc.

You’ve done the right thing 100% about your daughter.

And I cannot believe your inlaws got you so stressed about the Covid vaccine you needed to take time off - my god I would not be speaking to any of them, how awful.

My mum wouldn't agree to me having this vaccine (as well as any others as a baby - i have other near death and illness horror stories that could have all been easily avoided!).

I now do indeed have HPV and have annual smear tests that are at best unpleasant and at worse triggering... I have been sent for colposcopys due to dyskaryosis and had my cervix lasered off for biopsy. Sometimes I feel like a ticking time bomb, I try to keep on top of it but I can't currently have a smear due to being pregnant then post partum..soon I can. But it's hard to keep on top of your own health with a baby. But I will for her sake as I can't imagine much worse than being too ill to care for my baby or leaving her so early.

This vaccine could prevent all of the above. It prevents cancer! It boggles my brain your even asking this or why your husband thinks he can decline it and impede on your daughters health and reproductive future? Please vaccinate your daughter

The so-called 'few' experiencing issues are not so few in vaccine adverse event terms. There are huge class action lawsuits going on in the US. There have been deaths. In the first instance you wouldn't see a slowing down of cervical cancer in 20-30 year olds because the rates in that age group pre vaccine were virtually negligible - there's a lot of dishonesty attached to its marketing. On my small street alone, one girl ended up with POTS, and another with Lupus, with within weeks of this vaccine. Check out Gardasil Girls on Insta if you want the horror stories.

My DD was not jabbed. Prepare yourself for other kids coming up to your child to then say 'you're going to get cancer' (and let's face it, that's come straight from the parents).

You can always delay it and allow her to choose for herself at e.g. 15/16

The idea of giving it to very young teens is to get immunity before there is any chance of being exposed to the virus. Okay may be one or two teens may have started early.
Cervical cancer rates will drop amazingly (although not completely as there are non viral ones) same as lung cancer rates have dropped with the reduction in smoking.

I'm sorry to hear that. You must live on a very unfortunate street.

Just to balance the anecdata, both my sons, my DD and all her friends, my nieces and most of my friends' DDs have had it with no adverse events. My mum is a doctor and says she has seen no issues other than normal post-vaccine reactions.

I got it for my DDs. The vaccine is really safe and protects against the strains that cause the most cancer. They’re also giving it to boys now. There is risk of adverse reactions with any vaccine, but the odds of a life altering reaction are far lower than dying of cancer because you didn’t get the vaccine.

Thanks for all of your thoughts, I appreciate you taking your time to add to the discussion. I am happy with the decision and reading the risks and rates of ay adverse reactions, on balance I think being protected against all of the very nasty category 1 cancers outweighs potential side effects.

Just imagine the world where we had a vaccine againsy breast cancer or alzheimers.

Every single medical treatment has potential side effects as everyone's physiology is slightly different. That's just a fact. Your chance of having a severe reaction to the HPV vaccine is considerably less that having an adverse reaction to paracetamol for example. Yet, 1 in 142 women get cervical cancer in their lifetime.
The numbers involved in the class actions in the US are miniscule, especially compared to the numbers of people vaccinated and none have been successful. There was a recent study on whether that vaccine caused ovarian insufficiency on over 200,000 women and it found the rates to be the same in the vaccinated population as in the unvaccinated.

Now where have we heard that before?

Always hoping that she hasn’t by then had sex with someone carrying the virus thus rendering the vaccine useless.

Why so aggressive?
You’re not very convincing,

Best to promote safe sex.
This vax does not protect against other sexually transmitted diseases.
OP, Mumsnet is not a good place for these type of discussions as there are so many fanatical pro vax posters, many of whom are quite extreme!

I know 2 people who died in their 20’s thanks to cervical cancer. I didn’t even question it, my DD had it. If nothing else, imagine how you’d feel if your DD later contracted a cancer that this vaccine would have protected them against.

I tried to arrange mine three times with my GP as an adult from age 21-25, they were useless! I’m now thinking of going privately, but think I’m too late to benefit from having the vaccine

I had cervical cancer in my 20s and had to have a hysterectomy. I was one of the ‘lucky’ ones to come out the other side. It would be best to have the vaccine before becoming sexually active as HOV can lay dormant and the vaccine is a preventative measure.

All I can say is I wish there had been a vaccine when I was a young teen.
I don't know of any bad things that can happen from having the Vax?

I was the first age group to receive the vaccine in high school. Im now 33. Never heard of any such side effects

Can I just dispel a common myth. HPV is mostly transmitted through skin to skin contact. It is not always sexually transmitted.

The vaccine protects against the most common hpv strains that can cause cancer. It doesn’t protect against all the cancer causing hpv strains but at least to works against some of them. Ask your doctor first advice. I bet they say to have the vaccine.

True, but many of the cancers associated with the HPV are transmitted sexually.

So in addition to cervical cancer HPV is largely responsible for vaginal cancer, penile cancer, anal and throat cancers, none of which are transmitted by holding hands.

I was in college when this first rolled out. And I remember being gutted it wasn't introduced a few years earlier because we were told at the time it could be less effective if you were already sexually active, and I was. I was one of the people who got it when it was very first introduced in this country. That's without the 15+ years of it being routinely given out. I wasn't worried a the time and I'm not worried now.

I can't quite comprehend why someone wouldn't allow their daughter to get a vaccine which is proven to greatly reduce their risk of cervical cancer in the future?