HPV Vaccine debate

[Showal]

I was listening to NPR yesterday and learned that Merck and GlaxoSmithKline have a HPV vaccine in phase 3 clinical trials. Religious groups, apparently, are lobbying the FDA to prevent this drug from being allowed in the US. Knowing that HPV has the potential to cause cervical cancer and there are stats out there that quote 25% or more have HPV and a considerable amount of these people do not even know they have it, do you think that the claims that religious groups are making about increased sexual promescuity in teenagers is valid enough to prevent the passing of this vaccine? There's a lot of shit going on with the FDA now and politics are playing a pretty big role in medicine.

Where do we draw the line on political and religious intervention on the FDA? Should the claims about the potential for increased teenager sexual promescuity be reason enough to prevent this vaccine from going forward?

I haven't done the research, but I find it hard to believe that increased sexual safety (such as the availability of condoms in schools and the various STD vaccines out there) has increased the teenage sex rate. I believe that teenagers are going to have sex if they're going to have sex and it should at least be made to be a little bit safer. I think that the fact that AIDS, the big one, is out there still will scare kids away and the idea that they can't get HPV anymore won't really change things.

What's other people's thoughts on the issue?

[Czeska]

You can get diseases even when you're responsible. If you can prevent it.. do so. Then teach your kids personal responsibility (what a concept).

[Bastard]

Most kids probably don't even know what HPV is, so I sincerely doubt their fears are at all based in reality. Sort of like nearly every other claim that religious groups tend to make.

[Showal]

HPV is genital warts, for people who do not know. Most kids do know what genital warts are, however. They just don't know what HPV is.

[DeV]

Originally posted by Czeska
You can get diseases even when you're responsible. If you can prevent it.. do so. Then teach your kids personal responsibility (what a concept). Agreed.

[Jorddyn]

Originally posted by Showal
What's other people's thoughts on the issue?

1. It is a ridiculous attempt to force their morality onto other people.

2. Teenagers are not worried about HPV. Even though it has been in the media ever since they've been born, they're barely worried about AIDS. They are teenagers. They do not understand mortality.

3. If the vaccine prevented an STD which caused penile or testicular cancer, we wouldn't be having this conversation.


4. Do they really believe the following is going to happen?

Girl is going to wait until marriage for sex.

Girl finds out there is a vaccine that prevents HPV, but does not prevent any other STD or pregnancy. Additionally, the vaccine does not have the special ingredient which magically changes one's belief structure.

Girl gets vaccine.

Girl proceeds to do every guy in her high school.


Jorddyn, doesn't think so

[Ravenstorm]

Originally posted by Showal
HPV is genital warts, for people who do not know.

Actually, genital warts is HPV. There are about 80 strains of HPV and the ones leading to genital warts are the low risk ones.

As to the question, better dead than sexually active of course. Is there some question about that? It saves having to actually stone people in the village square.

Raven

[Showal]

I was under the impression that there were about 35 strains, but maybe I misheard. You're right though, genital warts are HPV. It's a more general statement to say they are the same.

I know when I got my Hep B vaccination, I did not think for a second that that means I'd be safe to go out and have sex.

The scariest part of this STD is that even with the use of a condom, you still run the risk of transmitting the virus - proving what Czeska said to be very true.

HPV, from my understanding, rarely proves to be a problem for men. It's mainly a problem for women as it can cause birth complications and cervical cancer.

I think parents need to take a more active role in establishing sexual responsibility. Schools can teach and give the finer points, but parents should take this on as a responsibility. Most do, I know mine did, but I feel like the topic of sex is very embarrassing for most people and they avoid it.

[Apotheosis]

Originally posted by Jorddyn

3. If the vaccine prevented an STD which caused penile or testicular cancer, we wouldn't be having this conversation.



It would have been passed through without a second thought.

[Czeska]

Parents teaching their kids personal responsibility?

How dare you even suggest it.


~Czeska, sarcastic and cynical by nature.

[Showal]

Yeah, I'm a real progressive thinker. It's a wild thought.

[Unique]

Originally posted by Czeska
Parents teaching their kids personal responsibility?

Originally posted by Showal
Yeah, I'm a real progressive thinker. It's a wild thought.



I would say teaching personal responsibility means you're a regressive thinker.

On the HPV vaccine: religion has no place in medicine, in government, or in the FDA.

Enough said.

Unique.

[Jorddyn]

Originally posted by Showal
I think parents need to take a more active role in establishing sexual responsibility. ... Most do, I know mine did, but I feel like the topic of sex is very embarrassing for most people and they avoid it.

Well, if parents talk to their kids about sex, their kids will invariably go out and have sex. It is much better for kids to not know anything at all about it, because then they'll never do it.

Won't you please think of the children?

Jorddyn

[Showal]

Maybe you're thinking in the best way. The trick might be to just never bring up the issue of sex and the kids, never knowing, never will have sex. They should get a package explaining sex on their wedding day or, even better, on the 5 year reunion.

[Sean of the Thread]

BUMPY CARROT

[Ravenstorm]

Originally posted by Jorddyn
3. If the vaccine prevented an STD which caused penile or testicular cancer, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Well, one of the high risk strains has just been linked to mouth cancer transmitted through oral sex. So maybe...

Raven

[xtc]

From what I have read your initial post isn't true. They aren't try to stop the FDA from approving the drug.

What they oppose is forcing the vaccine on their children.

"Conservative groups say they welcome the vaccine as an important public health tool but oppose making it mandatory"

NEWSDAY ARTICLE (http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hsdrug4512279nov15,0,270149.story?coll=ny-health-headlines)



[Edited on 11-17-2005 by xtc]

[Makkah]

Going with what Ravenstorm pointed out (that not all HPV is genital warts, but genital warts is HPV), it's fucking retarded to NOT pursue this vaccine with how common cervical cancer is in the females that have it. With men carrying the virus and not even knowing, it's only a matter of time before the world is taken over!

But seriously... the vaccine should be pursued and more common screenings for the virus should be conducted in males (to be included in a common STD screening).

[Ravenstorm]

Originally posted by Makkah
...it's only a matter of time before the world is taken over!

Doing a little bit of research shows it's been estimated that 75% of the population who are of reproductive age (18+? 16+?) has been infected with one strain of HPV or another at some point in their lives. Sounds like it's already taking over the world.

In most people, it does nothing. In some, it kills them. To seriously argue that someone is better off not being vaccinated because they're more likely to become sexually active is moronic. Then again, look who's arguing that.

Raven

edited to add:

Seems there's over 100 different strains identified now.

[Edited on 11-17-2005 by Ravenstorm]

[xtc]

Originally posted by Ravenstorm
In most people, it does nothing. In some, it kills them. To seriously argue that someone is better off not being vaccinated because they're more likely to become sexually active is moronic. Then again, look who's arguing that.

Raven


Just to clarify. No one is standing in the way of this drug being approved by the FDA.

Conservative groups have lauded the development of this vaccine. What they are objecting to is any attempt to make this vaccine mandatory. They want to be able to make the decision as to what is right for their child.

[Jorddyn]

Originally posted by xtc
Conservative groups have lauded the development of this vaccine. What they are objecting to is any attempt to make this vaccine mandatory. They want to be able to make the decision as to what is right for their child.

As far as I'm concerned, let it be optional. It'll be... interesting.

Jorddyn

[Lady Shadow]

I'm sure no religious group could stop a vaccine from being made available anyway, because the almighty Dollar will always win out in the end.

[Alfster]

Originally posted by Jorddyn
Girl proceeds to do every guy in her high school.

Eh, That happened a lot in highschool come to think of it.



[Edited on 11-17-2005 by Alfster]

[Jazuela]

I don't know that being "mandatory" is necessary - some people have allergies to certain medicines. Some have religious reasons for refusing vaccinations. But I don't see how any religious group can prevent a vaccine from becoming publically available. If they could, they'd have banned the Pill, condoms, spermacide foam/gels, and every other form of birth control available. Because, y'know, the benefits of birth control are only useful if people are having sex.

I just wish this vaccine was available when I was younger, before I got married. Instead, I got cervical cancer. Fortunately the HPV is dormant in me, so I can't ever give it to my husband. I hope this vaccine becomes available soon - no woman should ever have to go through the horror of cervical cancer. It's too late for some of us - but I'd like to see it save the rest.

And yes - it was epidemic when I was college age. Estimates of my specific age range and demographic at the time (college student, middle-class upbringing) were around 80%. EIGHTY PERCENT of all women coming from middle-class homes and attending college in the early 1980's have HPV virus.