My friend asked her OB to give her the Gardasil vax, and expressed frustration that the request was denied. She understands that it was recommended/researched/approved for younger women, but feels she should get it. She's willing to get a doctor friend to give it to her.
She is a virgin, and will not have sex unless/until marriage. She feels that any potential partner will not be a virgin and therefore a risk for HPV/cancer. She is VERY afraid of cancer, given that she has devoted the last 5 years of her life to fighting her lymphoma and has significant side effects of the treatment. She would not be swayed by the benefits/risk argument, the fact that VERY few people get cervical cancer, or any other "numbers" discussion. After all, she had cancer - she's been very unlucky wrt having statistically unlikely things happen to her.
She's had every vaccine possible since her immune system was knocked out by the chemo. She does not get live vaccines as they are not recommended for her. I visited her this weekend, and she had proudly had the H1N1 vax Friday morning. She has MDs in the family and is very oriented to Western medicine, although she *is* into things that are good for the environment and a significant degree of natural living (e.g., doesn't use paper towels, does indoor composting, uses natural cleaners).
What are the greatest risks? Any suggestions as to how I could appeal to her? I won't try any sort of general-anti-vaccine discussion, as that is not what she is ready for.
She is a virgin, and will not have sex unless/until marriage. She feels that any potential partner will not be a virgin and therefore a risk for HPV/cancer. She is VERY afraid of cancer, given that she has devoted the last 5 years of her life to fighting her lymphoma and has significant side effects of the treatment. She would not be swayed by the benefits/risk argument, the fact that VERY few people get cervical cancer, or any other "numbers" discussion. After all, she had cancer - she's been very unlucky wrt having statistically unlikely things happen to her.
She's had every vaccine possible since her immune system was knocked out by the chemo. She does not get live vaccines as they are not recommended for her. I visited her this weekend, and she had proudly had the H1N1 vax Friday morning. She has MDs in the family and is very oriented to Western medicine, although she *is* into things that are good for the environment and a significant degree of natural living (e.g., doesn't use paper towels, does indoor composting, uses natural cleaners).
What are the greatest risks? Any suggestions as to how I could appeal to her? I won't try any sort of general-anti-vaccine discussion, as that is not what she is ready for.
studies.
