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Hi everyone,
My group and I are working on a paper about HPV...My question is how are our young girls learning about HPV...I believe they are targeting starting around the age of 9.....Are they discussing this in schools yet? My children are in college so if anyone can help me I would appreciate it.....
Thanks so much :typing
Jolie, BSN
6,375 Posts
We discussed Gardasil at my daughter's 7th grade physical, but I declined it for a number of reasons. She then learned quite a bit about it in health class, which we then discussed further.
I may very well consent to it in the future, but I don't wish to expost my non-sexually active daughter to a vaccine with a very limited track record of safety, and no established efficacy for girls ages 9-15. (Studies for FDA approval only included 11.000 participants, lasted only 5 years, and FDA approval was based on an agreement for continuing study.) Gardasil does not protect against all strains of HPV, so yearly exams and Pap smears are still required for those who are sexually active, and roughly 90% of women infected with HPV will clear the infection on their own without treatment.
I would suggest searching the medical, nursing and allied health databases for journal articles relevent to Gardasil. It will be eye opening.