Posted on 02/24/2007 6:27:23 PM PST by Ellesu
Homosexual men are requesting a controversial "sex disease" vaccine designed to prevent a female cancer. Gardasil protects against the most common of sexually transmitted infections, human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cervical cancer.
But HPV also causes genital warts and anal and penile cancer, and men argue the jab would guard against these.
Many private clinics are offering it to men. One in London says it has immunised dozens in the last six weeks.
Controversy
Gardasil has been causing controversy since it was launched in the UK late last year, mainly because it is designed to be given to children before they become sexually active and can catch HPV.
The motivation is to protect themselves and to prevent spreading HPV to their partners Dr Sean Cummings, who has been supplying Gardasil to his male patients
The government is considering whether all girls, and possibly boys, aged 11 or 12 should get it routinely in schools, ultimately to cut cervical cancer rates.
Gardasil is licensed for boys and girls aged nine to 15 and women aged 16 to 26. But doctors can opt to give it to other people "off licence" if they wish.
Strong demand
Dr Sean Cummings at the Freedom Health clinic in Harley Street, where dozens of men have had the jab, said he was happy to recommend Gardasil to his adult men, at £450 for a three-dose course.
"We've had a strong demand for it. I had a man come in for the vaccine this morning. He was 24. Then I have one this afternoon who is 67 years old.
"The motivation is to protect themselves and to prevent spreading HPV to their partners."
Opponents say there is no point in immunising people who are already sexually active.
More proof
But Dr Paul Fox, a genito-urinary medicine expert at the Chelsea and Westminster and Ealing hospitals, believes it can be worthwhile.
He argues that it is unlikely a person will have encountered all of the four strains of HPV found in Gardasil, including the two linked to cancers, even if they are leading a very promiscuous sex life.
"We should not just be looking at vaccinating people in their pre-teen years. Other people would benefit as well."
We would not urge mass vaccination until we know it works Roger Peabody of the Terrence Higgins Trust
Dr Jo Longstaff, of the Independent General Practice private clinic in Cardiff, which also offers the Gardasil vaccine, agrees.
"Our first enquiry about Gardasil was from a male patient. I think they should be considering it."
Dr Anne Szarewski, clinical consultant for Cancer Research UK who has been involved in evaluating both Merck's Gardasil and GSK's rival jab Cervarix, says there may be a case for immunising men.
"Men who have sex with men are at a much higher risk than average of anal cancer and genital warts, particularly if they are HIV-positive.
"Clearly it would be very important if the vaccine could protect. The problem is we do need proof."
Trials in men
Merck is currently testing the vaccine's efficacy in 4,000 men, including 500 men who have sex with men.
And the US National Institute of Health is also carrying out trials to see what benefits it could have for people with HIV.
Merck said its priority was to tackle cervical cancer, but has not ruled out giving the vaccine to other groups - including men who have sex with men.
Roger Peabody of the Terrence Higgins Trust said if the trials were successful, there would be a good case for vaccinating young boys, not only to stop the spread of HPV to women, but to protect men against HPV-related disease.
Dr Szarewski agreed, saying: "It is bad enough suggesting to people that their 12-year-old daughter might need a vaccine against a sexually transmitted infection.
"I would be interested to see the response of suggesting to parents that they should vaccinate their boys at 12 in case they become gay."
She said heterosexual men and women also risked anal cancer.
About 400 people are diagnosed with anal cancer each year in the UK. The disease is slightly more common in women than men.
Don't expect hocndoc to respond to a thread that ties Perry to the homosexual agenda anytime soon.
Only after their insurer pays for "the operation."
It's not that the vaccine doesn't work for men...it's just that it hasn't yet been approved for men. Clinical trials evaluating Gardasil for guys are underway. Given the effectiveness of the vaccine in trials, I'd imagine that it will eventually be approved for use in men as well.
More than that - if you're going to get rid of a virus in the population, why not get rid of it in all the subjects, male and female? We vaccinate boys and girls for measles and rubella, even though the major public health risk is for the infants of young women who are infected while pregnant.
My point all along has been that the hoopla is all politics on the part of anti-Republicans and anti-Perry's, as well as the fact that the story sells newspapers.
The bills that were in place, by Van De Putte and Farrar (Look up Farrar's version, HB 215, here) would be much more draconian than Perry's instructions to the DSHS:
(2) (c) A school district, with the written consent of the agency, may provide the information required by this section to its students and their parents by a method different from the method prescribed by the agency under Subsection (a) if the agency determines that the method would be effective in bringing the information to the attention of the parents and guardians of each female student.Wonder why they require that extra bit of warning about the connection between HPV and cancer and who they want the schools to get to inform "by a method different from the method prescribed by the agency"? Perhaps Planned Parenthood?
SECTION 3. Section 161.0041, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows: (d-1) With respect to immunization against human papilloma virus, the affidavit form shall meet the requirements of Subsection (d) and shall contain a statement indicating that the parent, managing conservator, or guardian received the information under Section 161.0102 on the connection between human papilloma virus and cervical cancer.
Forget the fact that the State has to buy and distribute the vaccine for free for all the girls eligible for the Vaccines for Children program (Medicaid, CHIP, Native American and uninsured), already, under federal law.
And not one objecting legislator has yet even raised a whisper that they plan to introduce legislation to make it easier to opt out of any of the mandated vaccines. Which would be the "cure" - or even the "vaccination" - for the whole problem.
Anti-Perry? Yes. Because this Perry bozo is a corrupt RINO.
But you have absolutely no right to call us "anti-Republican." Most of the people who oppose the HPV vaccine have done more to elect Republicans in any given year than you've done in your entire life.
I should have said "Anti-Republican *or* Anti-Perry."
Girls can also catch AIDS from any of those things. Would you be in favor of forcing everybody to take an AIDS vaccine if it existed?
There aren't enough vaccines in the world to protect one from the diseases associated with men having sex with men.
Or else, what?
If the incidence of the death sentence, HIV, were 70% - or, since no one has ever cleared themselves of the virus - yes, the vaccine should be available as soon as proven safe and effective - with an opt-out.
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