DD friend doesn't want HPV vaccine

[Worriedmom2020]

Hi,

Not looking for a pro and anti vaccine conversation.

Wondering if you can help please. My DD's friend doesn't want to have the HPV vaccine, but parents have filled out the consent form. DD's friend has done her research.

The consent form also included the minors consent. If she doesn't consent, will they have to vaccinate her against her will?

Thanks.

postpone for a few years until she's older and has researched it fully.

When you say researched it fully, you did of course mean wait till you've got your PhD in immunology? Maybe an MSc. Lay person research isn't research.

What does 'research' mean? Reading conspiracy theories online? Sigh.

Is it definitely research that is putting her off or nerves? My DD wasn't keen on the idea (DH and I felt differently) so had it done at a separate clinic where we could be with her for some support. It wasn't as bad as she was expecting and she was one of the few in her class that didn't have it at school (boys have it as well in our area this time).

If the school has a nurse they would be able to clarify the issue of consent, if not contact the immunisation team at your CCG.

A 13 year old would only not be gillick competent if they had a developmental delay.

10 year old are deemed criminally competent so most children of around this age and above will be gillick competent

postpone for a few years until she's older and has researched it fully.

I never understand comments like these. So much research goes into when the maximum benefit of a vaccine can be gained within a given time frame. If you delay, you are then much more vulnerable to the disease. With the HPV virus, being a few years older means your chances of having contracted HPV by then will be hugely increased. The only way to protect again HPV is to abstain from any sort of sexual contact or to have the vaccine. I can't see a teenager abstaining so not sure what waiting achieves!

I can't see a teenager abstaining so not sure what waiting achieves!

Plenty of teenagers abstain . She's entitled to make her own choices about her body without others trying to shame, scold or preach to her.

Fgs, she’s 13. I delayed having the vaccine at that age (it had just come out and there were a lot of people having negative reactions and some doctors I knew were sceptical and most pertinently obviously, obviously I wasn’t having sex). My parents were pro vaccination but they didn’t see any point in arguing. In the end, I ended up marrying my first boyfriend so there wasn’t a need for it ultimately (he didn’t have it). If I found myself single again for whatever reason I suppose I’d go and get it done if I was planning to date again.

*didbt have HPV

My DC is 12 and refused the vaccine, school wouldn't do it even though I had consented , same DC also was very upset before getting bloods taken a year earlier and I was told they weren't allowed to restrain DC to do it. We are in Scotland (may make a difference)

Plenty of teenagers abstain

From any sexual contact at all?

I agree about making decisions about your own body but at 13 you're arguably not best placed to do this. I was totally needle phobic at that age so wouldn't have had it for all the wrong reasons.

As it is I've lived with HPV for years. It's damaged my body, I've passed it to others, i often wonder if it's what I will eventually die of.

Nobody can make an assessment of competence based on age alone, otherwise there wouldn't be a test of competence, just a legally defined age of consent.

Competence is situation and person specific, it needs to be assessed individually, for each person, for each decision that they make. For example a 14 year old may be competent to decide whether or not they have the HPV vaccine, but not competent to decide to undergo gender reassignment surgery.

From any sexual contact at all?

At 13, yes . I have HPV myself but it's entirely up to the individual what they do with their bodies. It's not ideal for 13-year-olds to get pregnant, either, but we can't force them to get an implant or take the pill or have a termination and shaming, scolding or scaremongering don't work well on teens, IME. Communicating and leaving the door open is far more effective.

And no, my DD hadn't had any sexual contact at the time she took up the vaccine. She was a bit young for her age but also unsure of her sexual orientation so took some time to work that out.