Recently I've been doing some research into STDs.  Specifically I've been looking at vaccines which prevent viral infections.  The idea being if this is a hobby I'm going to pursue, I should get as much protection as possible against stuff that can't be cured by our old friend penicillin.

I came across something called Gardasil which is a vaccine against 4 types of HPV (genital warts) which have been categorized as "high risk".

I was wondering how many providers (or hobbyists when applicable) have or plan to take advantage of this or some other vaccine to prevent HPV or any other STD which has an available vaccine.

If you are familiar with another vaccine and don't mind sharing the name I'd love to look it up.

Oh, and on a side note it looks like the brits have a promising herpes vaccine in trials so don't go catching it yet! (but I suppose there has been a promising herpes vaccine in trials for ages and no result =/ ... still, optimism!)



-- Modified on 10/28/2010 12:04:19 AM

While I can understand the fear, numerous studies have shown that incidents of STD transmission is significantly higher in the civie population than among those in the hobby.  So, hobbying really shouldn't make anyone more inclined to seek prophylactic drugs to prevent STD's than those involved in civvie relations.

When you consider the side effects, the fact that Gardasil is only approved for use in males and females up to the age of 26, that it is administered as 3 shots over a 6 month period, and that something like 70% of the population will contract and fight off HPV without the vaccine it seems like a precaution that may not outweigh the risk.

I get an annual physical and ask for a battery of tests for STD's in addition to the normal blood work and I know that quite a few providers specifically get tested more regularly than that.  When you think about it...an active hobbier will see 12-20 providers a year...some providers see that many guys in a week...if they were regularly passing along STD's they would either be out of business, dead, or branded as typhoid (or syphilis, or herpes, or wart) Mary

My suggestion; do whatever you are comfortable with and take normal precautions (condoms) and the odds are substantially more in favor of being fine than catching a dreadful disease.

While I can understand the fear, numerous studies have shown that incidents of STD transmission is significantly higher in the civie population than among those in the hobby.  So, hobbying really shouldn't make anyone more inclined to seek prophylactic drugs to prevent STD's than those involved in civvie relations.

When you consider the side effects, the fact that Gardasil is only approved for use in males and females up to the age of 26, that it is administered as 3 shots over a 6 month period, and that something like 70% of the population will contract and fight off HPV without the vaccine it seems like a precaution that may not outweigh the risk.

I get an annual physical and ask for a battery of tests for STD's in addition to the normal blood work and I know that quite a few providers specifically get tested more regularly than that.  When you think about it...an active hobbier will see 12-20 providers a year...some providers see that many guys in a week...if they were regularly passing along STD's they would either be out of business, dead, or branded as typhoid (or syphilis, or herpes, or wart) Mary

My suggestion; do whatever you are comfortable with and take normal precautions (condoms) and the odds are substantially more in favor of being fine than catching a dreadful disease.

If you wish to DATY and DATO they are a good plan. Being tested for STDs once every six months is recommended if you are going to have multiple partners, civvie or pro.

It is true that the providers are, of necessity, likely to be a lot more careful than you or I, but that does not mean we should not take precautions and get tested, too - any provider would tell you to do that. If you go to a confidential clinic they may give you some other advice, just follow it (unless they say to get and stay monogamous, of course) and don't worry beyond that.

Risk of being ripped off or otherwise having a bad date is much higher than STD unless you do something crazy like BBFS or worse, IMO, and risks for the provider are surely much higher than the client in any event.

Zig

Gardasil is not a cure-all like they claim. If you are over 24 or have been already sexually active then it is pretty useless. It's for tween girls as an extra precaution. You can still contract HPV even with the vaccine(small risk though). It does NOT protect against genital warts...nothing does!(except no sex or condoms,but even then they can fail)

Below is the wiki site. Very unbiased information that their website does not give you.

"numerous studies have shown that incidents of STD transmission is significantly higher in the civie population than among those in the hobby"

Can you cite several scholarly peer review studies that could corroborate your statement.

"something like 70% of the population will contract and fight off HPV without the vaccine it seems like a precaution that may not outweigh the risk."

It is estimated that 70 to 75% of reproductive age women and men have been infected with genital HPV at some point in their lives.  Unfortunately not all will clear the infections resulting in cervial dysplasia (> 250,000 cases per year) and cervical cancer(>12,500 cases per year).Reading this and my local boards their appears to be an epidemic of cervical dysplasia among Providers.  HPV infectious has also be linked penile, anal cancer and oral cancers also . The vaccine can prevent 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts and significantly reduce the number of cervical dysplasia.Given that men are the source of infection in women vaccinating men will reduce transmission of HPV virus and will be cost-risk/benefit effective if less than 80% of females are vaccinated as is the current case. Since females suffer a much higher health burden of HPV infection it is clear that at least for them the benefits of vaccination far exceed the risk and cost.  This is especially so if they get vaccinated before they become sexual active(ages 11-26).    



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the FDA have reviewed all the safety information available to them. The  side effects of Gardasil include pain, swelling, itching, bruising, and redness at the injection site, headache, fever, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, and fainting.The CDC and FDA in May 2009 determined that Gardasil continues to be safe and effective, and its benefits continue to outweigh its risks.

I have had the Gardasil series and am up to date on Hep A & B. There are other strains of both diseases (Gardasil only targets the four most common strains of HPV, and there's a whole damn alphabet of hepatitis), but with the risks of the vaccines themselves being so low, it was a no-brainer for me.

FYI concerning other vaccines for adults, the CDC's recommended vaccination protocol for adults can be viewed at the link below. Which reminds me, I'm due for my tetanus booster! No one stab me with a rusty nail in the next couple weeks, plz.

"the reason the drug is indicated for ages 18 to 26 is because that was the age range in the drug trial"

The recommended age is 9 to 26. The major rational for the age limit is that after age 26 most females are sexual active and have been exposed HPV and the efficacy of the vaccination decreases.  THE VACCINE IS MOST EFFECTIVE IF GIVEN BEFORE A PERSON BECOME SEXUAL ACTIVE!!! Keep in mind the highest incidence of HPV infection occurs in young adults in  their late teens and 20's.  On going study indicate the vaccine have been effective in female up to the age of 45 YO who have not be infected to one of the 4 HPV targeted by the vaccine. I suspect the vaccine will only be marginally effective in young providers under 26 because they are so sexual active and have already be exposed and probably infected with all four of  the virus target by the vaccine.

Yea, I asked this question because it seemed like a no brainer to me too but I know there are a lot of fears and misconceptions surrounding STDs, vaccines and the risks and side effects as evidenced by niceenuf's post(s).  

I think of STDs the way I think of LE.  Sure it's not that likely I'll be nailed on any one visit but if you are active enough, exposure is inevitable.  The activity level of most providers is exactly why they are the ones who stand the greatest risk and therefore would gain the greatest benefit.  Getting what amounts to a get out of jail free card against even a small number of the vast array of possible STDs seems like a worthwhile use of time and money... after all they say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  (I should have made that the title of my post

As far as the age thing for gardasil, that is just one vaccine among many.  I used this vaccine as an example because of the prevalence of HPV and the serious health implications for women who contract the scarier strains.  Furthermore, there are a lot of providers under 26 and I expect (but I AM IN NO WAY AN EXPERT) that the reason the drug is indicated for ages 18 to 26 is because that was the age range in the drug trial.  That being said I know some vaccines like the one against meningitis can have serious side effects if you have already been exposed to the illness.  You would have to ask a doctor to be sure... and you should.

BTW thanks for the link that's a cool PDF Carrie.

First, thanks for quoting me out of context I'm sure it really helped...

I feel like a bit of a broken record when I say I was NOT talking about Gardasil specifically just using it as an example.  I was hoping for a general conversation relating to STD vaccination among both providers and hobbyists.

That being said, it seems to me that the younger and/or newer the provider or hobbyist (gardasil IS indicated for men too), the less likely the person is to have contracted one strain of HPV let alone all four.  If there is no health risk associated with getting the vaccine after contracting the virus AND it is difficult to know if you have or have had the infection AND the potential health effects of catching the virus are severe enough to be life threatening, why not just go get the shots?  

In the short run getting vaccinated will only help an individual.  However, if that individual is as sexually active as most providers than by not getting the virus she is guaranteed to not transmit the virus.  And that is a benefit to us all.  I think we can agree that this would be a better world if we could stamp out STDs and, in my opinion, the only way to do that effectively is with the development and use of vaccines.