Are anti-vaccine people conspiracy theorists generally?

[Emergent]

I have an old friend from years ago who I now keep in touch with on Facebook. Her posts are fascinating in the amazing variety of conspiracy theories, some outrageous, some maybe partially true. She's a big believer that cannabis oil will cure just about anything and that information of course is being suppressed by the drug companies and the government.

She blames many, if not all, health problems on vaccines. She also subscribes to some disturbing anti-Semitic ideologies, blaming the network of high powered Jews, led by the evil Rothschild family.

I swear, the internet has turned slightly eccentric people into extremists. 30 years ago this woman was into macrobiotics, native Americans, and New Age philosophies.

[klone, MSN, RN]

If its slow progressing why the sense of urgency?

What "sense of urgency" are you referring to? I'm not following.

The only "sense of urgency" is in getting it BEFORE a child is sexually active and exposed to HPV.

[RunnerNurse09, BSN, RN]

A vaccine cannot "cause a belief" - I guess I don't understand what you're asking.

Are you saying that because it's a slow-growing cancer, then there is no value in a vaccine that prevents it? What about all those women who do not have access to regular preventive healthcare, and will die of cervical cancer because they CANNOT get regular Paps? Or women who cannot afford all the procedures necessary to control/stop dysplasia (because Paps do not stop or cure it, it just detects it)?

I voiced my opinion. That's it. Your opinion isn't the same as mine. We agree to disagree.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I voiced my opinion. That's it. Your opinion isn't the same as mine. We agree to disagree.

IOW, you've got nothing.

The thing is, what I'm voicing is not "opinion." I urge you to open your mind a bit and actually consider what we're saying.

[RunnerNurse09, BSN, RN]

What "sense of urgency" are you referring to? I'm not following.

The only "sense of urgency" is in getting it BEFORE a child is sexually active and exposed to HPV.

Our views differ. You can choose that vaccine for your kids, I wouldnt.

[RunnerNurse09, BSN, RN]

IOW, you've got nothing.

The thing is, what I'm voicing is not "opinion."

Wow you are really pushing the issue. It is your opinion.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Wow you are really pushing the issue. It is your opinion.

It is NOT opinion. It's scientific FACT.

And YES, I'm pushing the issue because it's very personal to me. If Gardasil existed 30 years ago, I WOULD STILL HAVE A UTERUS.

In the US alone, where there IS ready access to preventive healthcare, over 12,000 women will be diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer this year. Over 4,000 will die from it.

ANd that's not including all the other countries were women DON'T have access to regular healthcare.

Slow-growing cancer or no, thousands of women still DIE each year from it. A cancer that can be prevented by a vaccine. The fact that you deny the value of this vaccine frankly flabbergasts me.

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

A vaccine cannot "cause a belief" - I guess I don't understand what you're asking.

Are you saying that because it's a slow-growing cancer, then there is no value in a vaccine that prevents it? What about all those women who do not have access to regular preventive healthcare, and will die of cervical cancer because they CANNOT get regular Paps? Or women who cannot afford all the procedures necessary to control/stop dysplasia (because Paps do not stop or cure it, it just detects it)?

For example, to prevent papilloma virus - induced anal cancer, which is not screenable, spreads early and has 5 years survival of 50 - 70% in case of diagnosis at stage I, which is rare.

Survival Rates, by Stage of Anal Cancer

For me, it was enough to see what was termed "successful" treatment of cervical canver stage III by brachytherapy (pelvic evisceration, double nephrostomy, ileostomy, chronic osteo, chronic pain - plus all the results of chemo, on top of it) to stop any lingering doubts about giving this vaccine to my girl.

[RunnerNurse09, BSN, RN]

For example, to prevent papilloma virus - induced anal cancer, which is not screenable, spreads early and has 5 years survival of 50 - 70% in case of diagnosis at stage I, which is rare.

Survival Rates, by Stage of Anal Cancer

For me, it was enough to see what was termed "successful" treatment of cervical canver stage III by brachytherapy (pelvic evisceration, double nephrostomy, ileostomy, chronic osteo, chronic pain - plus all the results of chemo, on top of it) to stop any lingering doubts about giving this vaccine to my girl.

And I respect YOUR views, opinion, beliefs. Aren't nurses supposed to respect the autonomy of others? So shouldn't you respect mine?

[klone, MSN, RN]

And I respect YOUR views, opinion, beliefs. Aren't nurses supposed to respect the autonomy of others? So shouldn't you respect mine?

You can do whatever the hell you want with your body. And if you were my patient, I would give you the evidence as to why the Gardasil vaccine is important, and then I would go along with whatever you decide. But this website is not a hospital or clinic, and I'm not your nurse. And in this thread, we're discussing population healthcare, and science, and evidence-based medicine. So if you say XYZ, and evidence-based medicine disagrees with your assertion of XYZ, then yeah, we are going to argue it and explain why XYZ is not a valid argument.

[RunnerNurse09, BSN, RN]

It is NOT opinion. It's scientific FACT.

And YES, I'm pushing the issue because it's very personal to me. If Gardasil existed 30 years ago, I WOULD STILL HAVE A UTERUS.

In the US alone, where there IS ready access to preventive healthcare, over 12,000 women will be diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer this year. Over 4,000 will die from it.

ANd that's not including all the other countries were women DON'T have access to regular healthcare.

Slow-growing cancer or no, thousands of women still DIE each year from it. A cancer that can be prevented by a vaccine. The fact that you deny the value of this vaccine frankly flabbergasts me.

And that is your choice. What you are not getting is I have the right to make my own choices. It is amazing how part of this thread discussed people forcing their opinions down the throats of others. I voiced my opinion and my own personal choices and pretty much got attacked for it. It seems you are angry/upset at how I feel about the vaccine. I stated already I do not voice my opinion on any vaccine to patients. So why you feel so heated about what vaccines I choose for myself or my family makes no sense.

[wtbcrna, MSN, DNP, CRNA]

Read post above. Sorry , still not sold on the HPV vaccine. The effectiveness of the flu vaccine is a shot in the dark because it's a guessing game as to what strain is going around. I have gotten the flu the same year as getting the vaccine, so that year it wasn't effective. So it did nothing for the patients I took care of when I was contagious before I knew I had it.

I am immune to certain strains. Learned that last year's after taking care of 3 family members who had it, and I never got sick. Some vaccines have their place, some do not. You have your opinion, I have mine. If a job I have requires it, yes I'll get it. Other than that I wont.

The flu vaccine is not a guessing game. There is extensive surveillance and research that goes into each and every flu vaccine strain choice. Selecting Viruses for the Seasonal Influenza Vaccine | Seasonal Influenza (Flu) | CDC

This isn't an opinion discussion. You either believe in the facts or you don't. You don't and I cannot force you or anyone else to believe those facts.

[RunnerNurse09, BSN, RN]

You are so damn hostile.