So what does the FDA and the religious fringe have to do with cervical health?

[phoenixx]

I ran into Ace's Full of Link's blog entry "Angel of Death, At Your Cervix" yesterday and had to cringe.

There are so many things going on with potential for great impact on our nation and our citizenry I'm having trouble keeping track. This was such a personal issue for women it didn't even blip my radar, unfortunately.

Points from this issue:

1) That death by cervical cancer is on the rise
2) That a vaccine is nearly completed for the HPV strain that contributes heavily to cervical cancer
3) That a religious group is opposing the vaccine. You're gonna love why:

"Giving the HPV vaccine to young women could be potentially harmful, because they may see it as a licence to engage in premarital sex," Maher claims, though it is arguable how many young women have even heard of the virus.

Of course, the lunatics referenced above are part of the Family Research Council. Affiliated with James Dobson. And Focus on the Family.

What a bunch of whack-jobs.

[mjfrombuffalo[$]]

Luckily not all the conservative religious groups share this mindset. A rep from one conservative religious group was on NPR yesterday morning saying his group would still be recommending that girls get the vaccine to protect them in case of assault or if their marriage partner happened to be carrying HPV unknowingly.

[drmomentum[$]]

There is overwhelming support for this vaccine. These people are really out on the fringe. But it's frightening that anybody would imagine that it's better to let people die of cervical cancer for the cause of abstinence.

[wivabef]

Not only are experts suggesting girls should get the vaccine, they are also suggesting that boys should get the vaccine, as they help to spread it.

I think this is a wonderful piece of news.

I'm glad I read about it and heard about it before reading this thread to hear of yet another wacko group getting press attention where it simply should be left to fester in its own rot.

[frazzledspice]

God forbid that mere humans find a way to circumvent His wrath....

Most states already have laws mandating Hepatitis B vaccine for students. Hepatits B is also frequently transmitted sexually, and so there is ample precedent that another vaccine, the HPV vaccine which would reduce cervical cancer cases by 70%, should be appropriately administered to teenagers.

If the vaccine is safe and effective, I can't imagine any loving parent who would withhold it from his child (unless the child had a history of severe reactions and allergies to immunizations.)

[theworm[$]]

this is about cancer and about health - NOT about sex.

[frazzledspice]

And even if the daughters of religious conservatives taken chastity pledges and lead sheltered lives, they are in far greater danger of being raped or sexually assaulted than they are of having a reaction to the HPV/cervical cancer vaccination:

There were 200,000 rapes or attempted rapes and 133,000 sexual assaults in the US committed against people 12 and older in 1998.

http://www.barcc.org/thefacts.html

[drmomentum[$]]

Also, who is to say they couldn't be exposed by their husbands?

-JP

[theworm[$]]

don't be ridiculous, JP. Only sluts get cervical cancer.

[mtomm[$]]

If the time frame is right for my daughter she will be in line. But then my boys had Hep B before they were requiring it for children and I paid a fortune for Tucker to have the Varicella vaccine before it was mainstream, too. I cannot for the life of me see why people have such issues with vaccinations, medical prohibitions being the exception.

[Prepoia[$]]

I wonder if we'll be hearing about Tom Cruise's beliefs on this for the rest of us?

[mjfrombuffalo[$]]

"No, Matt, you don't know, I know, I've studied cervixes!"

[theworm[$]]

MJ, don't be glib.

[pippadaisy[$]]

I dunno, Margo. My sister had a friend who worked for a pharm firm that did vaccine development, and she wouldn't vax her kids. THAT kind of scared me.

For most kids, I don't think it's a big deal. For my kids, they are a big deal. I vax on a slower schedule than most people do for that reason. I can understand how parents get freaked out. Shoot, I spent HOURS on line trying to find a separated MMR for Bug only to find out that the separated vaccine is ALSO cultured in egg. *sigh*

There has to be a better way.

[mtomm[$]]

But the point is that you tried and at least are aware of the benefits and risks. I know lots of people of have issues with vaccines but the bad scenerios are rare.

[hadassahchana[$]]

theworm said

MJ, don't be glib.

Yeah, MJ, don't be glib. You just ruined my clean white swetshirt by making me spit coffee all over it.