I have declined the HPV vaccine for my daughter - school nurse demands I give reasons why - is this legal?

[TimeIsAnIllusion]

I have declined the HPV vaccine for my daughter. Do I have to explain the reasons why on the form? I received a telephone call from the school nurse saying I must but I don't wish to explain myself. If the vaccine is offered I have a right to decline surely - so must I give a good enough reason to decline?

I don't know who the information will be passed on to and how my reasoning will be judged or considered. I just want to politely and quietly take the "no thanks" option without being pressed as to why.
By the way I my dd has had all other childhood vaccines but it's this particular one I'm not happy for her to have.

I think it's just for data purposes. I recently declined two vaccines during pregnancy for two different reasons and they didn't even ask why. I would happily have explained though!

It's just bullying. It's easier to bully a 13-year-old girl than a mother.

YANBU to feel a bit peeved here but maybe she wants to check that you really understand what you are declining. The HPV vaccine will prevent the first that causes 70% of cervical cancers. It's a no brainier as far as I am concerned, all my nieces had it and if I had a daughter I wouldn't dream of taking the risk of declining it.

Only wish boys were being vaccinated too.

Can I ask what arguments there are against the immunisation (mum of boys here) I know I could google but cba!

MrsTeee thanks for your advice - I will also state if she consents without my consent it is not to be done under duress at school but in a gp or perhaps better still a hospital environment. There is a strong family history of allergic reactions including anaphylactic reactions which statistically does put her at very much increased risk of allergic reaction. She does have allergies herself also amongst my other reasons.

I think she should be allowed to consent or not herself. As far as I know, there haven't been any cases of girls having allergic reaction to the vaccine......

Dear OP,
You are not obliged to give a reason but the nurse is probably obliged to ask. It sounds like she could have done so more sensitively however. The PP's commenting on the consent issue this is quite complex. Parents can of course consent/ refuse for their own children and a child who is deemed to be what previously called "gillick competent" can consent on their own behalf if assessed as such by a health care professional with suitable training. There is no set age for this as the law recognises that some 11 year olds are fully able to understand serious decisions and some 16 year olds are not. Interestingly a child (under 16) is not permitted to refuse treatment their parents have agreed to. All this actually makes it a bit of a minefield for healthcare staff working with teenagers when it comes to issues of consent and confidentiality for this client group. Many parents of teens often don't realise how much freedom the law gives their teens to make their own decisions about health care.

It's very messed up if an under-16 can choose treatment but cannot choose to refuse it.

I doubt your daughters allergies are as serous as cervical cancer.
Your dd should be able to chose for herself . I hope the school fully inform her just how serious cervical cancer can be.

www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/cancerstats/keyfacts/cervical-cancer/uk-cervical-cancer-statistics for those who are worried how prevalent the disease is.

The vaccine is for HPV not actual cervical cancer. It is still possible to get cervical cancer despite having the vaccine though it is said the risks are reduced.

SoonToBeSix I doubt you are able to compare my daughters allergy risks with that of cervical cancer. Particularly as you have no idea of the nature of her allergies.
Try looking up anaphylactic shock - it's a type of allergic reaction which can kill within minutes.

LineRunner, of course a 12 year old can refuse as well as request treatment. They're hardly going to pin down a teenager that doesn't want a vaccination and stab her against her will are they?!

You don't have to give a reason.

In theory your dd could present herself, sleeve rolled up, & be presumed to be Gillick competent, but very few schools will risk the parental ire that would attract if a parent has clearly refused consent.

Equally, the school I work at won't vaccinate a child who jibs even when parental consent has been given - we don't strap 'em down & jab 'em!

It might be worth getting the school's agreement in writing that your dd will never be given vaccines without your consent/discussion with you? Because it's not just HPV - TB boosters & flu vaccines are offered fairly regularly...

What is your daughter actually allergic to? You need to be exposed to the allergen to risk anaphylactic shock, don't you?
Your decision doesn't sound all that "informed" to me.

'My husband and I have made an informed decison together to refuse consent for our child to have this vaccine.'

I refuse for mine and I have HPV myself.

But your child has had other vaccines and not had an allergic reaction?

Sorry I have no time for your 'reasons'. If you can't spell them out I deduce they are in fact spurious. You just don't trust this vaccine do you? But it's not actually about you of course. I think that in this case you should let your child choose for herself.

School won't know what vaccine is being used. It's offered through School Health teams (part of the NHS) not education.

And your child won't necessarily be able to get it later at the GP - it's not funded through primary care services.

There is no such vaccine as a TB booster by the way.

And flu jabs are offered yearly to children and young people in at risk categories, not to all children (unless they are 2,3 and 4).

Hello OP

I could be wrong, but I'm sure I read on here that a parent who had objected, not completed the form was informed by her dd that the school had done it anyway.
I know they aren't supposed to do it without consent but they did.
It may be worth telling your dd under no circumstances should she allow them to do it when the date comes round.

It's up to you what you do with your children and nobody else, so don't give a reason, you don't have to.

I think you are being a bit precious about your reasons. It's useful info for public health bods to know the reasons for vaccine refusal so they can do something about it.

I know several people in real life who did not consent their children after much research and their daughters were bullied and scare mongered at school and told they could override their parents. There is a real push for this vaccine. It's strange, because you never see that with any other vaccine.