3 ms·

I had occasion a few years ago to raise this point as a question with a doctor hauled out as a medical expert interviewed on public radio. His response, simple

I had occasion a few years ago to raise this point as a question with a doctor hauled out as a medical expert interviewed on public radio. His response, simple and dogmatic, was that current literature and understanding (and, compared to my own knowledge, he was behind the curve on this) did not support vaccinating males. Correlation and suspected causation between infection and oral cancers in gay men was already being demonstrated. As just one point. He appeared to be uninformed on this. My point? Many doctors are not in the lead on these topics. Much medical practice (in the U.S.) appears to be last in line in terms of adoption. Currently, there is some thinking that HPV may be tied to some prostrate cancers. I have no evidence that there is a connection. But, another point for men to consider and to monitor for further information/developments. It so far appears there is no statistically significant downside to being vaccinated. If I had a son, I would have him vaccinated. For his own sake, and for the sake of his future partners (of whichever gender).

DrScump 10y ago
It so far appears there is no statistically significant downside to being vaccinated. The theoretical risk is that telling teens that they are protected against one risk of unprotected sex could make them more likely to risk unprotected sex in general. If you do choose to vaccinate your teen for HPV, why are you compelled to inform them that's what it's for? After all, when you vaccinate them for other diseases, do you tell them exactly what the vaccines do, what diseases they prevent, or how they work? If you don't tell them they've been vaccinated against X # of HPV strains, they wouldn't make a corresponding change of risk behaviors. Also, pay attention to which vaccine series you purchase (some protect against as few as two strains), and make sure the entire series is applied (generally three shots over 6 months). [EDIT:] Adding my definition of "fully informing": "There are 40+ strains of HPV. About a dozen have been demonstrated to cause cancer. This vaccine, if properly applied, will protect you against exactly two[0] of them." [0] Two, four, or nine, depending on which vaccine is used
- JoeAltmaier 10y ago
  There's something fundamentally wrong and immoral about performing medical procedures on teens without their being fully informed.
  - DrScump 10y ago
    I agree. But on that note: how many parents and doctors are fully informing the recipients, e.g.: "There are 40+ strains of HPV. About a dozen have been demonstrated to cause cancer. This vaccine, if properly applied, will protect you against exactly two of them." I've read quotes from maybe 40 parents who have had their kids vaccinated and commented on it; every one came away with the idea that their kids were protected against HPV, period.
- dragonwriter 10y ago
  > If you do choose to vaccinate your teen for HPV, why are you compelled to inform them that's what it's for? After all, when you vaccinate them for other diseases, do you tell them exactly what the vaccines do, what diseases they prevent, or how they work? I don't see why you wouldn't inform a teen about this exactly as much as an adult patient would be informed, even if the parent was the ultimate decision-maker.
  - DrScump 10y ago
    I agree, but "informing" them without fully informing them (see below) is the risk vector.
    - seanp2k2 10y ago
      "Hey, this might protect you against prostate and some other nasty forms of cancer which can be caused by this sneaky STD that tons of people have which is typically asymptomatic (and thus why most people don't really know about it)." If a 12-14 y/o doesn't understand that + the implications, I'd like to fix sexual education until they do. Is it really that difficult as a parent to explain such a thing? I had "the talk" when I was around 10, and I read a lot on my own over the following years.
- gozur88 10y ago
  That theoretical risk is probably smoke, IMO. I don't think kids ever really worried about HPV excepting the strain that gives you warts - they mostly worry about pregnancy and herpes. If you're really concerned your kid will think the HPV vaccine is a license to sleep around, tell him about all the other STDs that can't be cured, like HIV, herpes, and that new uncurable strain of the clap.
- seanp2k2 10y ago
  What are even the use-cases for the vaccines which don't protect against as many as possible? Why is such a product allowed to be on the market?

DrScump 10y ago

It so far appears there is no statistically significant downside to being vaccinated. The theoretical risk is that telling teens that they are protected against one risk of unprotected sex could make them more likely to risk unprotected sex in general. If you do choose to vaccinate your teen for HPV, why are you compelled to inform them that's what it's for? After all, when you vaccinate them for other diseases, do you tell them exactly what the vaccines do, what diseases they prevent, or how they work? If you don't tell them they've been vaccinated against X # of HPV strains, they wouldn't make a corresponding change of risk behaviors. Also, pay attention to which vaccine series you purchase (some protect against as few as two strains), and make sure the entire series is applied (generally three shots over 6 months). [EDIT:] Adding my definition of "fully informing": "There are 40+ strains of HPV. About a dozen have been demonstrated to cause cancer. This vaccine, if properly applied, will protect you against exactly two[0] of them." [0] Two, four, or nine, depending on which vaccine is used

JoeAltmaier 10y ago
There's something fundamentally wrong and immoral about performing medical procedures on teens without their being fully informed.
- DrScump 10y ago
  I agree. But on that note: how many parents and doctors are fully informing the recipients, e.g.: "There are 40+ strains of HPV. About a dozen have been demonstrated to cause cancer. This vaccine, if properly applied, will protect you against exactly two of them." I've read quotes from maybe 40 parents who have had their kids vaccinated and commented on it; every one came away with the idea that their kids were protected against HPV, period.
dragonwriter 10y ago
> If you do choose to vaccinate your teen for HPV, why are you compelled to inform them that's what it's for? After all, when you vaccinate them for other diseases, do you tell them exactly what the vaccines do, what diseases they prevent, or how they work? I don't see why you wouldn't inform a teen about this exactly as much as an adult patient would be informed, even if the parent was the ultimate decision-maker.
- DrScump 10y ago
  I agree, but "informing" them without fully informing them (see below) is the risk vector.
  - seanp2k2 10y ago
    "Hey, this might protect you against prostate and some other nasty forms of cancer which can be caused by this sneaky STD that tons of people have which is typically asymptomatic (and thus why most people don't really know about it)." If a 12-14 y/o doesn't understand that + the implications, I'd like to fix sexual education until they do. Is it really that difficult as a parent to explain such a thing? I had "the talk" when I was around 10, and I read a lot on my own over the following years.
gozur88 10y ago
That theoretical risk is probably smoke, IMO. I don't think kids ever really worried about HPV excepting the strain that gives you warts - they mostly worry about pregnancy and herpes. If you're really concerned your kid will think the HPV vaccine is a license to sleep around, tell him about all the other STDs that can't be cured, like HIV, herpes, and that new uncurable strain of the clap.
seanp2k2 10y ago
What are even the use-cases for the vaccines which don't protect against as many as possible? Why is such a product allowed to be on the market?