Ok, no that's fine, it was like a typing error you made and I picked you up on it. We are both right but I think we are just discussing different points here.

*big sigh* thank you for that. we are just discussing different point and it's exhausting. lol. we are saying the same thing in different ways. i really didnt mean it the way you took it and i guess that's how this whole thing started.

truce?

Let's virtual hug it out!! Hahaha.

I don't think my arms are that long, for sure.

lmao.

Shingles is not 'the adult form of chicken pox'. You can catch chicken pox as an adult or you can get shingles (a reactivation of the same virus, usually in people who've had chicken pox in the past). They are different though. Chicken pox is itchy, and causes systemic flu-like symptoms. Shingles is more painful than itchy. And BOTH can appear in adults.

I'm with Ev, wouldn't know what to do with this information.
Plus, here, if we don't get vaccinated, we get suspended from school.

you can get exemptions online, print them, have them notarized and then no action can be taken if you don't have them.
at least that is how it is here in canada.

I am in Canada lol.
I didn't know that, but I'd get them anyway. I mean, if they want you to get them that bad, there's obviously a reason.

See, I think that kind of thinking is rather dangerous, don't you? Your last sentence implies that someone else knows what's best for your child and we should just accept it. Sure, doctors know more than the average citizen, but do you really just assume that your child's best interests are in mind? Perhaps that's not what you meant in your post, and if so I apologize. I have seen far too much of this "big brother knows best" mentality in my short years as an adult. I don't consider myself an overly-defensive person, but I do question everything.

I must admit, part of what makes me skeptical of the vaccine industry as of late is all this talk about mandating the HPV vaccine. From what I understand, US middle school females would be required to receive this vaccine in order to attend school. Now, believe what you want about sleeping with multiple partners at a young age - the fact that our government would MANDATE a vaccine to prevent a disease that is not necessarily a threat to humanity seriously angers me. The whole situation just stinks of corruption and greed. Am I the only one who feels this way?

You have to remember though that its not just about your child, but all the children they come in to contact with.. I think thats unfair that a school would suspend based on it, but at the same time they are obligated to provide safe environments for children.

I agree with your views on the HPV vaccine. It's not a huge issue in Australian Schools (that I know of)... but I think it should be a choice. It almost implies that everyone sleeps with multiple partners at a young age... and thats not the case. SO I don't understand how mandatory vaccination should or would even apply.

It's not really implying that people are sleeping around young. They are vaccinating them young because they know some kids do have sex young, so they are trying to catch everyone as virgins, when they don't have the virus. Otherwise it'd be pretty useless!

Apparently you can have it up to the age of 26 here, but not on the NHS. So I only missed out on the free one by 3 years, typical (they do it up till 18 I believe on the NHS). I think I will get it though, since I want to protect myself as much as possible. Cervical cancer is a real killer, a proper bastard disease. If I can help prevent it, then I will!

Plus boys cannot be tested for HPV so the only way to protect a woman is the vaccine, as condoms do bugger all where HPV is concerned, you can catch it without engaging in any sexual behavior too. I only missed out on it by 6 months! It is about £300 private, so definately worth it, I live in Wales where everything is free so I might look into it actually.

I read it was £450! Still want it though.,

And yes, I read that it can be passed through any close contact. So even if you have protected sex, you can catch it.

Hmm seems I may be able to get it for free or reduced cost for being in Wales, sweet!!!

Haha what a cow!
You get free prescriptions too, don't you?! God, England is the shittest bit of the UK! I have applied for NHS exemption though, which means I can get free prescriptions. I think I should anyway, since I am on lifelong medication. Bastards!

Ive never paid for a prescription in my whole life :)

Wales and Scotland are so much better than England when it comes to health care. ;) You can get a smear at 20 in Wales and Scotland too.

You can have one any time you want in England, if you've been on BC for a year or more you have to have one to carry on with your prescription.

But women are not routinely sent for for smear tests in England until they are 25. In Scotland and Wales ALL women over the age of 20 are invited for a smear test.

Here you get asked if you want to be put onto the 'mailing' list for two yearly smear tests some surgeries strike you from their books if you say no, then others leave you until 25 unless you change your mind or if you are on medical birth control or have a family history of problems of the lady parts.

I think it's 24 actually, at least in Scotland. I'm 26, and I'm sure i checked and found I was too old. :(

Hmm I'm pretty sure it's 26 in England. But hey, we have to pay for our prescriptions so at least we get something else instead! ;D

There was something on telly a while ago here that had naive young girls thinking that it was ok to practice unsafe sex now that they had the HPV vaccine because they now can't get it. They worry about forcing teenagers in to stuff here because they form their own impressions about what they think they have to have it for. It's silliness really.

Here... I think its free till about 26? Not exactly sure of the age. I was about to start my vaccinations with it when I found out I was pregnant, so haven't had it yet. They're soon to take it off of the free list though, but they wanted as many females to take advantage of the free vaccine as possible. I hope its still free after bub is here, because I will have it.

God, that's scary. Just shows the need for better education!!

I have very mixed feelings about the HPV vaccine and the govt mandating it. I know people have died from it and that is very worrisome, but if it really prevents girls from getting the cancer-causing strands of HPV, I would have to say that I would give it to all of my children. I read somewhere recently that using condoms doesn't necessarily prevent the transmission of HPV. I'm not sure how true that is, but it's scary because like 8 in 10 women have at least one strand of HPV.

As for them mandating it, I don't think they can make a child get it. There has to be some kind of waiver parents can sign or something. I don't know.

I hope that before the govt takes any action, they allow more years of research, because I think you're right. I think this whole thing started out as a protection for our youth and turned into this big mess over pharmaceutical companies being greedy. Stupid lobbyists.