Should 12 year old girls get the vaccine for HPV? If so why?

Answer 1

Not unless they are having sex......

Answer 2

This vaccine can save thousands of lives of U.S. women alone. It's a vaccine to prevent a virus that CAN lead to cancers in some women. It's an amazing thing, and I'd like to see people focus more on the CANCER prevention than the sexual (or not....) implications.

To that end, boys should be immunized also. (Who do you think gives the virus to the girls, anyway?)

Let me tell ya, if this were an immunization against PENIS cancer, it would be MANDATORY, with much less discussion about whether THEY would have sex or not. The very same groups that are against this vaccine are also against sex education. Think about it. Denial is a powerful force. Powerful enough to make some people think that a freakin' VACCINE is tantamount to being a tramp.

So perhaps watching your child suffer from cervical cancer is somehow easier to face than the fact that young people have sex?! Are you kidding me?

I developed cervical cancer at 26. Not only did it almost kill me then, but the following 24 years have cost me a hip, a bladder, and a portion of my colon. Now I cannot RUN, can't even take a step without pain, have a colostomy AND a urostomy. All that from radiation damage. At 26, I had had ONE SINGLE SEX PARTNER, my husband, and he gave me HPV. Cancer does not distinguish between "good" people and "bad". It's a killer.

Patients like me contributed to the development of the HPV vaccine. PLEASE don't make it be for nothing. Believe me, if there had been a SHOT available to prevent the terrible suffering I went through, and millions like me, I'd have been the first in line.

Answer 3

This vaccination seems to be very misunderstood.

HPV of some form is present in greater than 70% of the adult population.

Human Papiloma Virus is unique and is not the same as herpes.

HPV has many strains - of which only a few are implicated in cervical cancer.

HPV is the ONLY sexually transmitted disease that causes cervical cancer.

Prior to PAP smears - cervical cancer (HPV) was a very real risk of causing death in women. Since the PAP smear the rate of cervical cancer have greatly diminished but is still far from zero.

This vaccination does nothing to protect a woman from any other STD - including HIV, herpes, chlmydia, gonorrhea, and a variety of other infectious diseases.

Condoms impart safer sex but do not entirely protect participants from STDs - especially for transmission of herpes.

Talk to any woman who has had a LEEP or a colposcopy and ask her if she wished that she had been vacinated for HPV - or even worse, women who are still dying from cervical cancer. Look at the respondant's answer below mine...and then ask yourself - if it were possible to avoid the risk of such a debilitating disease, why wouldn't you?

So yes, the girls should get the vaccine - at age 12. It has nothing to do with their readiness for sex, rather as all vaccines are designed to do - it treats a person to prevent them from ever getting a potentially awful disease well before they are liable to actually be at risk for it.

Answer 4

Well in Australia, we are getting a free vaccine (12 year olds and I think teenagers...not 100% sure though) to protect us against cervical cancer(same vaccine I think..not too sure though). It's relatively knew I think. I am 16 and I'm getting it in April 2007 (oh no...I just remembered it's near the end of March already)...oh well...vaccinations are no big deal...I get a flu vaccination every year...

Answer 5

well lets be realistic by getting the shot your not saying OK at 12 you can have sex but in reality girls as young as 12 are having sex with out protection and parents knowledge if getting a shot at 12 can prevent a girl from later developing cancer i say get it, as far as how expensive it is ask how much it will cost in 15 yrs to treat the cancer that could have been prevented verses the price of the shot. but i do believe it should be a choice not made mandatory for if we allow them to make it mandatory then they take away our rights this is the land of the free ,freedom means choice regardless,of our personal beliefs.

Answer 6

I seriously don't think they should. I mean, this is basicly saying "alright we've eliminated a couple of STDs you can get so go off and have your fun...kids will be kids!" but that's not true. 12 year old girls shouldn't need this now, maybe when they turn 16, but not 12. Also, the prices on those shots are expensive...my doctor wanted me to get one and my mom said no it was too expensive and I didn't need it yet.

Answer 7

I hate this whole HPV thing that is going on. Drug companies are treating HPV like it is a NEW thing. HPV has been around FOREVER. Basically HPV is a type of genital wart/HERPES that effects your cervix. If untreated it could turn into cancer. Any type of STD could do this. The only thing you need to do is make your partner wear a condom.....EVERYTIME!

Answer 8

A girl should get the vaccine before she decides to have intercourse whenever that is.

Answer 9

I think they should--maybe not now but soon. It'll be mandatory eventually just like the Hepatitis shot, measles, and all the other shots they make us take!!

Answer 10

i dont i mean do that and you pretty much catorgerize everuy girl twelve and up as a t r a m p