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Son & Gardisil Vaccine

CaniacMomCaniacMom member
in School-Aged Children

When we took our oldest DS (14yo) for his check-up the FNP bought up the Gardisil vaccine.  We dd not opt for it at the time as we were not aware that it was now recommended for boys.  We go back in early March for another vaccine and could start the series then if we chose to.

 Has anyone chosen to or not chosen to give ths vaccine to a son?  Could you share your reasoning.

 I am usually pro-vaccines but for some reason this one is bothering me.  I think is because of the big advertising campaign for it when it came out for girls and then all of a sudden a few years later it is now being recommended for boys.  Why wasn't it released for both boys and girls when it first came to market?

Plus, our doctor almost seemed relieved when we told her we wanted to look into it before starting DS on it.  Since I've never turned down a vaccine in the past I don't know what their normal reaction is.

 Any good suggestions for research on this would be welcomed as well. 

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Re: Son & Gardisil Vaccine

  • SurfinbrideSurfinbride

    I think it is a weird vaccine to require for young people. It came up in the political debates... pharma supported political campaigns... politicians required it in their state. You could google it... I don't want to post a link b/c I could accidentally pick one that causes political conflict.

    My daughter is younger than your son, so I have not had to make the decision that you are. I don't see any reason to give it to someone who is not sexually active. It isn't like chicken pox where your child could unknowingly be exposed.

     

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  • Halo79RNHalo79RN member
    the point is to give prior to becoming sexually active and unfortunately some kids are sexually active at 14 or 15.  yes, boys can get HPV and pass it on.  some strains of HPV can cause cancers including cervical, penile and throat cancers. not all strains are covered with the vaccine.  we're not to this yet...  but we'll opt to give it to both dd and ds when the time is right.  I know some pedis start the discussion with parents as early as when the child is 10 y/o.   
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  • neverblushedneverblushed member

    I'll get both of my children the vaccine.  Vaccines work best when everyone is vaccinated.  There are already vaccines that exist because of serious consequences to only one gender.  For instance, if a girl contracts rubella as a child, it could affect her future fertility.  Yet boys get the vaccine as well!  DD just turned 11, and we'll probably go forward with it when she gets her middle school MMR booster.

    Here's how I think of it for DS:  him being vaccinated may help prevent my future daughter in law (his wife) and the mother of my future grandchildren from dying of cervical cancer. 

    Good enough for me! 

    High School English teacher and mom of 2 kids:

    DD, born 9/06/00 -- 12th grade
    DS, born 8/25/04 -- 7th grade
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  • pregaftertubalpregaftertubal
    imageneverblushed:

    I'll get both of my children the vaccine.  Vaccines work best when everyone is vaccinated.  There are already vaccines that exist because of serious consequences to only one gender.  For instance, if a girl contracts rubella as a child, it could affect her future fertility.  Yet boys get the vaccine as well!  DD just turned 11, and we'll probably go forward with it when she gets her middle school MMR booster.

    Here's how I think of it for DS:  him being vaccinated may help prevent my future daughter in law (his wife) and the mother of my future grandchildren from dying of cervical cancer. 

    Good enough for me! 

    Well said!  I just wanted to add, we as parents hope and pray that our kids will not be sexually active until marriage.  Well, sometimes thats just unrealistic.  The reason we chose to give this to our DD's is because of the unknown.  What happens if god forbide, your child were to be raped.  Your child could do everything they are supposed to do to avoid contracting HPV, and then something this horrible could happen.  Your choices are then made for you, so why not protect? 

    I would definately do more research about boys now getting it, but it would be wonderful if it were found to be productive.  Think of the situations where a girl stayed chaste for her husband, only to be infected by him as well....

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  • hollyg1920hollyg1920 member

    we are getting our oldest son the vaccine

    Gardisil offers no protection once a person is sexually active because there are over 100 strains of HPV and 1 in 2 sexually active people will get a strain at some point in their lives

    The research done in regards to gardisil and boys shows that it reduces the risk of penile, oral and anal cancers, prevents the spread of the HPV strains that cause cervical cancer in women and it reduces the risk of genital warts in men

    I would look the FDA, CDC and AAP websites as they have good info and they are now recommending the vaccine for boys (not requiring) but they stress that is important to get the vac before sexual activity (oral, anal, vaginal)

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