to think the HPV vaccine should be offered to all women under 30.

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I know they have only tested it in women under 26 but as a 28 year old with a sister who has had terrible probelms with the HPV virus I am very keen to have it. Could I pay privatly?

I wonder if the cost has more to do with the cut off age limit??

It's more to do with there not being many 26 year old virgins around.

Good god no.
Young & the not so young should be taught to use condoms.
I would not let my dd have it.

I'm almost certain that something like 90% of sexually active women will have picked up HPv, its just that only a very samll percentage will go on to have problems/develop abnormal cervical cells, ie be at risk of cervical cancer.

I'm also not sure of the exact mechanism of the vaccine, but supsect it only works if given before you cvome into contact with the 'real' HPV. perhaps by preventing the virus invading the cervical tissue to begin with? hence has to be given to pre- sexually active women.

May be totally wrong but suspect this particular is not about NHS 'rationing' (but am very open to being set right!)

YABU as it would not be effective in all women under 30, as most will already have been exposed to HPV. Why give them a vaccine for no reason? Not a good use of resources. It needs to be given to women prior to exposure ie sexual activity.

condoms don't protect against HPV, nanninurse

Nanninurse - what happens when your dd wants to become pregnant? Condoms tend to hamper that. Or is she going to marry a virgin ?

Oh and nanninurse, people do actually have to have unprotected sex in order to conceive you know!! Foolish woman!

Of course they do. its the male who trasmits virgins are not at risk.

The vaccine will only work on woman/girls who are not infected yet, and this is v likely only the not yet sexually active young.
There are a couple of dozen subtypes of HPV and only a few are known to causing cancer - off the top of my head, the vaccine protects against 11 and 16 only.
So even vaccinated the virus can still cause warts, verrucas and genital warts.
I am not aware that it is availabe privately.

I have had problems with HPV in my 20s (now over 40) and understand the sentiment of wanting to be protected against it. Unfortunately, this vaccine is not going to give that kind of protection.
So, regular smears for me, and condoms should I ever, ever get into a situation which would include sex with somebody other than my DH

HPV can also be transmitted digitally, so you don't even need to have penile penetration.

So your DD can only have sex with male virgins nanninurse?!

HPV can be transmitted by non penetrative sex, from woman to woman, by fingers, mouths etc. Distasteful as it may be to think that out precious children will get up to anything like that as teenagers, the liklihood is that they will.

Ok thanks. I was thinking though that even if you did have HPV as it can come and go the vaccine may still offer SOME protection IYSWIM.

Nannisurse why on earth wouldn't you want to protect your DC?

Suspect vaccinating women in their 20s might not be that effective. I'd be happy to see boys vaccinated, though (yes I do have a ds and a dd).