I am not a huge fan of vaccination, and have waffled on it for many years. However, when I saw the news about the HPV vaccine, my grizzly mama instincts shot up…particularly when I saw how vehemently the TV docs were pushing it. And then I was confronted with the issue in person when my 14 year old daughter went in for her sports physical. Did I want her to receive the vaccine?
I was unsure. I hadn’t done a lot of research yet, but something just didn’t feel right about it. I do however, suffer from goodpatientitis. I always want to be a good patient. I want my children’s doctor to like me. So, I usually cave when he pushes something (to be fair, he doesn’t push a lot, and he’s a very good pediatrician – supports co-sleeping, breastfeeding, etc…). But he’s very pro-vaccine and the Gardasil was no exception. But I stuck to my guns and told him I’d like to research it more before I subjected my daughter to it. I may not be a “good patient” anymore, but I feel like I am protecting my daughter once more from the forces in the corporate world that will have her believe that it’s better to take a pill or a shot than protect herself through behavior or other natural methods.
Please read this: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/sep/07092004.html
And check out Mothering Magazine’s vaccination articles to learn more.
Needless to say, so far, I’m glad I’ve avoided consenting on that vaccine. One just has to remember the “morning sickness pill” – also FDA approved!
PalMD says:
just a quick correction; thalidomide (“the morning sickness pill”) was never used in the US and not approved by the FDA.
It currently IS approved for the use in some cancers in the US.
9th October 2007 at 3:24 am
PalMD says:
And BTW, i was very unimpressed with the articles cited. There has not (yet) been any significant reports of problems with Gardisil. I have seen up close the ravages of HPV-related disease, and I think it should be extended to men, given that they are a significant vector in the spread of the disease, and other related diseases such as anal cancer. If HPV wasn’t so pervasive, it would be a different matter.
9th October 2007 at 3:27 am
Jenna says:
Thanks for posting these links. I’ve had some serious concerns over the vaccine since it first came out, the whole rushed and then FORCED aspect just got my hackles up.
As for not being a “good patient” anymore? Maybe not, but being a great mum seems like the wiser course of action! A few of my younger friends have gotten the vaccine (luckily at 28 I’m not in the marketing band) and so far not one has skipped a lovely flu-like bout of ick afterwards. That alone gave me a warning light…
Thanks again for the links and the info.
9th October 2007 at 2:48 pm
MandyMom says:
I think Gardasil is too new. First off, I’m very leary about injecting ANYTHING into my child.. but something so new? It’s definitely worth waiting to see how it affects people. Sadly, sometimes we dont see the affects of such things until 5-10 years down the line.
I have a friend who has HPV… someone had told me that if people didnt sleep around, if they only had one partner, they were fine.. but they both “waited” for each other.. and she still got it. (Her mother also has it.. wonder if it runs in the family.)
She doesnt have to take any special meds for it, but has to be checked regularly (yearly, as we all should for paps and such) for cancer.
9th October 2007 at 10:57 pm