HPV vaccine/Veganism

Former Member

Okay... well, because I am vegan I am not having the cervical cancer vaccine at school...

The thing is though, cervical cancer runs in my family. So, I'm sort of torn. I really really don't want to have it, because of the animal produce ect ect. But I'm scared I'm going to get cancer, of which I'll have to die because I wont be able to take the medicane. So, do I risk dieing of cancer or have the vaccine?

I wrote to the vegan society and they said :

Thank you for your email.
As far as we are aware there are no vaccines that are animal free. For the most up to date information though you can ask for the brand name of the vaccine and then speak to a pharmcist, the pharmacist should have a date sheet for the vaccine which will give the ingredients or be able to obtain this information for you.

I hope this helps and all the best

Verity Hunt-Sheppard
Information Officer

I really don't know what to do, and I have to send the letter back to school on tuesday as to whether I want the vaccine or not...
Thanks.
X

Former Member

i think the question you need ask yourself is, is it worth risking your life for your belief in veganism, especially if it runs in your family, not to mention, i know a few veggies (slightly different obv) that the end of the day would take non veggie friendly meds, if it would save their lifes. The descision is up to you, but i'd say if you are genuinely worried about the cancer, then take the jag, but thats just me

Former Member

..hhmm yeah, but I've always said I'd rather die than eat meat.

I might leave it a few years and think about it till then. I don't think there is anyway I can decide by tuesday.
X

Former Member

yeah, but its a bit different from eating meat, not eating meat doesn't put your life in danger, which in your case not having the vaccine could could, especially since in england you dont start getting smears until you are 5 years older than most other places in the UK

As far as i know, the only reason vaccines aren't vegan friendly, is cause they are grown on chicken eggs, but at the end of the day the decision lies with you, but i wouldnt pin all my hopes on being able to get it when your older, cause im too old by 2 months to be on the catch up programme for the vaccine.

Former Member

its your choice. I personally think that if CC runs in your family, then youd be stupid to not get the jab.

On the other hand, since youre already sexually active, then you might not get the full benefit of it anyway.

Former Member

SuzyCreamcheese wrote: »

On the other hand, since youre already sexually active, then you might not get the full benefit of it anyway.

:chin: It says on the sheet we should still get it if we're sexually active...

Oh I don't know. It's really stressing me out... oh and I reckon, if I choose to I'd be able to have it when I'm older- because I was born in 1997, and it's for anyone born after 1993 or something.

Even if I have the vaccine, I can still get cancer... I'm just gonna have to spend all weekend thinking about it.
X

Former Member

sorry but i really dont understand putting your life at risk and potentially dying of cancer (have you ever known anybody with cancer? its a horrifying awful disease) or getting a jab that has been grown on chicken eggs, i know your beliefs in veganism are strong but i cant imagine putting my whole life before a chicken egg. really cant.

Former Member

FireyFirenze wrote: »

sorry but i really dont understand putting your life at risk and potentially dying of cancer (have you ever known anybody with cancer? its a horrifying awful disease) or getting a jab that has been grown on chicken eggs, i know your beliefs in veganism are strong but i cant imagine putting my whole life before a chicken egg. really cant.

Hmm yeah, but I'm sure it would of been tested on animals. And it's like- I wont eat meat, fish, dairy ect. and I wont wear it... soo I don't see why this is any different- but then again I don't want to die of cancer. I think 3 members of my family have had cervical cancer, and another member had a different kind of cancer. So I know how awful it can be...

OOOHHH it's making me stressed.
X

Former Member

I don't think cervical cancer can "run through" your family since it's caused by HPV infection. I don't think there is any good reason to put your life at risk for the sake of one egg, as Fire said.

Former Member

FireyFirenze wrote: »

sorry but i really dont understand putting your life at risk and potentially dying of cancer (have you ever known anybody with cancer? its a horrifying awful disease) or getting a jab that has been grown on chicken eggs, i know your beliefs in veganism are strong but i cant imagine putting my whole life before a chicken egg. really cant.

I agree. I don't agree with animal testing but will still take medication and give my patients medication that has been tested on animals. If it can save a life then I think you have to forget where it has come from.

If cancer runs in your family then don't take the risk and not have it. Cancer runs in my family, though no one has had cervical cancer, I would still have definatly had it.

I understand you beliefs, I really do. It's say like Jahovas witnesses who refuse blood transfusions but that person ends up loosing their life as there is nothing else that can be done. If you have this vaccine then at least you know that you are a step ahead of protecting yourself!

Former Member

Right... I reckon I'm not going to have it. I think veganism is so important to me, that even if nobody at my school will know, I will. And I don't think I can live with that.
X

Former Member

Veganism is more important to you than your life? You can't honestly say that. The next time one of your family wants to have an egg, just tell them not to, and there you go, the egg for your vaccine has been replaced, and karma is even.

Former Member

Ultimately the decision is yours but will your ethics/morals comfort those you leave behind should you die from cervical cancer ?

Former Member

Yeah... but I don't think I could live with myself knowing I've harmed animals, for the sake of my life. I can control my life, they could not control theirs. That's what I'm guilty about. And besides that, I'm a lot more likely to die from drugs/drink then I am of cancer.
X

Former Member

...but you've not harmed the animals...

Former Member

I think if it runs in your family you would be stupid not too.

Former Member

Broken-Angel wrote: »

And besides that, I'm a lot more likely to die from drugs/drink then I am of cancer.
X

I'm a lot more likely to die of a heart attack than in a plane crash, but I still wear my seat belt on a plane...

Former Member

notanotherusername! wrote: »

...but you've not harmed the animals...

But I'd be using them to my advantage. Ahhh! It's just making me stressed.

Not having the vaccines now, I've proparly decided.
X

Former Member

Smartie wrote: »

I think if it runs in your family you would be stupid not too.

It's caused by infection by a sexually transmitted virus, not by genetic factors.

Former Member

wooooooooah wrote: »

It's caused by infection by a sexually transmitted virus, not by genetic factors.

It's not just an STI. My great aunt had it... and lets face it... who's she gonna of shagged?
X

Former Member

wooooooooah wrote: »

It's caused by infection by a sexually transmitted virus, not by genetic factors.

I thought so too, but she rekons it runs in the family, so..

Former Member

cervical cancer, does seem to be striking down younger and younger people as well, jade goodys not the only example

Former Member

Smartie wrote: »

I thought so too, but she rekons it runs in the family, so..

It's not like, genetically passed on. But a lot of my family have had cancer. My grand-dad's a surgon and he told me I should have it... he's had cancer.
X

Former Member

wooooooooah wrote: »

It's caused by infection by a sexually transmitted virus, not by genetic factors.

:yes: Have a google search. It can be passed from mother to baby during vaginal delivery but then it would show up in the baby as a throat infection. I think the bigger issue is you should know what you are/are not getting into as opposed to blindly going foward.

I'm surprised they are offering it if you are sexually active as well, in school. As far as I was aware you had to come back with a clean pap before they would give it to you if you were.

Former Member

Broken-Angel wrote: »

But I'd be using them to my advantage. Ahhh! It's just making me stressed.

Not having the vaccines now, I've proparly decided.
X

well your probably going to hate me for saying this but they use fetal bovine serium...they don't slauter hundreds of cows...you can do a cell line from it. (i think?)

Former Member

Broken-Angel wrote: »

It's not just an STI. My great aunt had it... and lets face it... who's she gonna of shagged?
X

Every single one of your grandparents, great grandparents, etc etc have, so why not your great aunt??

Smartie wrote: »

I thought so too, but she rekons it runs in the family, so..

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cervical_cancer: "Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a necessary factor in the development of nearly all cases of cervical cancer".

It's possible the incidence of cervical cancer is high in your family, but that doesn't necessarily mean it runs in the family.

Former Member

my name wrote: »

:yes: Have a google search. It can be passed from mother to baby during vaginal delivery but then it would show up in the baby as a throat infection. I think the bigger issue is you should know what you are/are not getting into as opposed to blindly going foward.

I'm surprised they are offering it if you are sexually active as well, in school. As far as I was aware you had to come back with a clean pap before they would give it to you if you were.

:no: It says on the letter if you're had sex you should have it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What causes cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer is different to the majority of other cancers in that infection with a virus is present in 99% of all cervical cancers diagnosed. Research has now shown that an infection with specific types of human papilloma virus (HPV) is a major factor in the development of a cervical cancer. Other factors associated with an increased risk of the development of abnormalities in cells in the cervix include:

Smoking
Sexual activity at a young age (aged 17 or under)
Several sexual partners
Weakened immune system
Poor diet
Effect of DES (diethylstilboestrol)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shit man, I am most of those things.
X

Former Member

wooooooooah wrote: »

It's possible the incidence of cervical cancer is high in your family, but that doesn't necessarily mean it runs in the family.

Kay, sorry. It just doesn't seem normal to me that a lot of people in my family have had cancer, that's all.
X

Former Member

Not all cervical cancers are caused by HPV. Instead of looking what causes of cervical cancers you should look into HPV specificially.

HPV can also cause other genital cancers

http://www.cdc.gov/STD/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm#Whatis

Former Member

the jag protects you against the two main strains that cause cervical cancer that are resonsible in about 70% of all cases...

Former Member

Since you are more at risk than many people your age, it is definitely more worthwhile for you to have the vaccine. It doesn't seem like you have all the info, so it might be worth having a chat with your GP about your options before refusing to have it.