My sister's enounter with a fundie in the doctor's offce

[desertvixen]

The reason why nobody under 40 has been vaccinated for smallpox is because it's now unnecessary. Smallpox remains the only illness that has been successfully eradicated. It was eradicated because it was required to receive the vaccine. It was eradicated in the 1970s. The only live samples of smallpox are kept at the CDC and a lab in Russia.

Actually, there is a section of the population under 40 that has been vaccinated for smallpox - US servicemembers who have deployed over the last 10 years.

Except for those of us who have conditions that make smallpox vaccination not such a hot idea (I have exzcema, and so am only going to get stuck with the smallpox shot if there's an actual imminent danger of usage), it's required.

[outrunningzombies]

There is not a widespread illness of cancer causing HPV happening

In 2007 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), 12,280 women in the United States were told they had cervical cancer, and 4,021 died from the disease.

http://www.cdc.gov/features/dscervicalcancer/

[Beeks]

What about your sons?

I actually don't know. My current midwife (who does all my ob/gyn care, but is not the OB who gave me the vaccine) told me that if I had a bad reaction my daughters should not get it. I didn't think to ask about my sons and I haven't looked into it for them yet since they are still so small. I'm assuming it doesn't matter daughter/son in terms of being more prone to a reaction but I'll check.

[treemom]

I actually don't know. My current midwife (who does all my ob/gyn care, but is not the OB who gave me the vaccine) told me that if I had a bad reaction my daughters should not get it. I didn't think to ask about my sons and I haven't looked into it for them yet since they are still so small. I'm assuming it doesn't matter daughter/son in terms of being more prone to a reaction but I'll check.

It probably doesn't, I was just curious.

[hapamama]

We're declining the Gardasil vaccine for now. It's too new, not enough testing and I'm not letting my kids be guinea pigs for something like that.

[hapamama]

Actually, there is a section of the population under 40 that has been vaccinated for smallpox - US servicemembers who have deployed over the last 10 years.

Except for those of us who have conditions that make smallpox vaccination not such a hot idea (I have exzcema, and so am only going to get stuck with the smallpox shot if there's an actual imminent danger of usage), it's required.

My entire household is excluded from the smallpox vaccination... most of us have a history of eczema.

[Little Miss Alien]

No, that was told to me by a professor so he was wrong. Didn't think to double check every word they say since I thought a science teacher would know. My fault for not looking it up to check that. And it does exist in labs still. Bioterrorism is always a possibility as well. Point being that if someone did that, young people like myself and your children would be in trouble. Before I am likely thought of as ignorant and paranoid on that-the CDC talks about defense mechanisms against bioterrorism for smallpox.

If a person is old enough and wants to get the vax for HPV, fine. Get it. If they don't, fine. There is not a widespread illness of cancer causing HPV happening so it's up to each person and parent for minors to make the decision on their own to get it. I really don't know why my decision against getting it right now after discussing it with my doctor bothers so many of you. It's getting ridiculous and almost comical. Yeah, this needs to end so I have said my peace and will move out of this thread.

It's not about the fact that you don't want it. Many people have valid reasons for not having it. It's your constant need to back yourself up with a variety of sweeping generalisations and dodgy pseudoscience, along with a strong sense of "La la la it's not going to happen to me!"

If you had just stuck at "I don't want to have it right now, but may change my mind in the future, before my time runs out" as other posters have done, you probably wouldn't have encountered such censure.

There, I've said my piece now. I'll try and leave the subject alone now.

[Terrie]

We're declining the Gardasil vaccine for now. It's too new, not enough testing and I'm not letting my kids be guinea pigs for something like that.

At what point does it stop being "too new"?