Would you get a vaccine against HIV/AIDS?

[Coatimundi]

Here’s a question I have.
How do they prove that you are an MSM before donating blood? I can get how they can bar you from donating if you have tattoos (some tattoos are visible) but how will they bar you if you do not disclose that you are a male who has sex with other male?

In the US, the questionnaire is answered using the honor system. Here is a link to the FDA approved full length questionnaire for blood donors.

aabb.org/tm/questionnaires/Documents/dhq/v1-3/Full-LengthDonorHistoryQuestionnairev1.3.pdf

Every answer depends on the honesty of the prospective donor. Background checks, strip searches and private detectives are not involved.

 

[WingsOfEagles]

Spot on. :clapping:

How sad. No one, and I mean no one, is too good to get HPV, Hep B, or HIV.

The first time that AIDS became “real” for me was when I was 12 years old at church camp. On the last night, one of the counselors told us that she had a story that she wanted to share-but that it was graphic and emotional, so if we wanted to we could go back to our cabins. I chose to stay and listen.

This woman worked with deaf kids who were in the foster care system. She signed for them in court, with**** police officers, etc. One night as she was leaving work she was approached by a man in the parking lot. Initially, he seemed very confused, so she tried to help him. He raped her. This was a very devout, married Christian woman. She was in her 40’s, and not dressed in a way that was “asking for it”. He was apprehended, charged, and convicted. Sometime during the court proceedings, it came out that he was HIV positive. She didn’t think that she was at any risk, but she chose to get tested. It turns out, she did have HIV-and she had already put her husband at serious risk too.

She actually met with her rapist in prison, and eventually forgave him. She went on to work with deaf rape and assault victims. When I met her in the 90’s, she had to take handfulls of pills every day. I have no idea if she is still alive, but I hope she is.

Other ways that your kids could contract AIDS without having sex, although sex is a good way, include: an unfaithful spouse, receiving medical care in a less developed country (you never know where life will take your children), rape, making a stupid decision to let someone at a party give them a tattoo or piercing (even just ears), or working in a medical environment and being too lax about universal precautions. Your children could be perfect angels and still end up saddled with a terrible, painful, and ultimately lethal disease. You would deny them protection against it just to make a point about premarital sex?

I have said this before and I will say it again:

If your children believe that your steps to protect them from bad choices (or bad luck) equal a blank check to do whatever they want sexually, then you have failed as a parent. You haven’t failed because they went against your values, you failed because they clearly had no idea what your values are.

And for the record, HPV can be spread orally too, and that doesn’t just mean kissing. Sharing drinks and lipgloss can spread HPV, and two decades later that HPV can be spread to the spouse on the wedding night.

 

[EasterJoy]

^This,

It’s nonsense to think that consensual sex is the only way to get infected. A famous doctor in my part of the world was infected when she performed surgery on an infected patient on a humanitarian mission in Africa and accidentally nicked herself. This was before HIV had any form of treatment and she died.

The sexual stigma needs to be removed from this disease. It is a viral infections disease and should be dealt with like any other. It’s a public health issue first and foremost.

Yes!

a) the ignorant idea that illicit sex or illicit drug use is the only way to get body-fluid-borne or blood-borne diseases needs to be removed.

b) the unmerciful idea that people who have had illicit sex or used illicit drugs somehow deserve to get deadly diseases while those who observe sexual and social taboos are automatically protected from those same diseases and need not concern themselves with preventing the spread of those diseases also needs to be eradicated.

 

[Royalist]

Nope. You have to live an exceptionally depraved lifestyle to be at risk for AIDS, and I don’t.

I wouldn’t give my kids any STD vaccine – that’s like giving them permission to go out and have sex.

 

[WingsOfEagles]

Nope. You have to live an exceptionally depraved lifestyle to be at risk for AIDS, and I don’t.

I wouldn’t give my kids any STD vaccine – that’s like giving them permission to go out and have sex.

Not true. Teachers can be at risk if an infected student has an issue. Doctors and nurses face similar issues. A cheating spouse that you thought was trustworthy could infect you.

 

[EasterJoy]

Nope. You have to live an exceptionally depraved lifestyle to be at risk for AIDS, and I don’t.

It’s your life, and your decision to weigh, particularly if the vaccine is expensive. It is rash to assume that everyone with HIV/AIDS must have lived an “exceptionally depraved lifestyle.”

I wouldn’t give my kids any STD vaccine – that’s like giving them permission to go out and have sex.

Well, once you explain to your children that the HPV vaccine only gives protection against a limited number of nasty life-long diseases that are called “venereal diseases” for a reason, let’s home not. Besides, you will only have the word of your future sons- and daughters-in-law that they have never for one night lived what you refer to as an “exceptionally depraved lifestyle.” Put it like that, and the odds that they would tell you in a million years drops substantially…and the lifestyle that spreads STDs, sadly, is not as exceptional as you imply.

 

[Allegra]

I think they give Hep B shots to newborns in case the mother has it and doesn’t know, or isn’t honest about it. Hypothetically assuming that it can be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the vaccine’s were safe, I can’t see any reason why someone wouldn’t want to have one. There are all sorts of unfortunate circumstances in life and you can unintentionally come in contact with other people’s blood by rape, accident, etc. The chances are low, but if there is not risk, then why not take the vaccine? On the other hand, if the vaccine does present a risk, then you have to weigh that risk against the chances that you could encounter one of those diseases.

 

[Royalist]

Not true. Teachers can be at risk if an infected student has an issue. Doctors and nurses face similar issues. A cheating spouse that you thought was trustworthy could infect you.

Yes, there’s a remote possibility of getting AIDS through various unlikely mechanisms. That’s not what “at risk” means. Otherwise we would say that all Americans are “at risk” of being killed by falling pianos or spontaneous human combustion.

 

[Xantippe]

How sad. No one, and I mean no one, is too good to get HPV, Hep B, or HIV.

The first time that AIDS became “real” for me was when I was 12 years old at church camp. On the last night, one of the counselors told us that she had a story that she wanted to share-but that it was graphic and emotional, so if we wanted to we could go back to our cabins. I chose to stay and listen.

This woman worked with deaf kids who were in the foster care system. She signed for them in court, with police officers, etc. One night as she was leaving work she was approached by a man in the parking lot. Initially, he seemed very confused, so she tried to help him. He raped her. This was a very devout, married Christian woman. She was in her 40’s, and not dressed in a way that was “asking for it”. He was apprehended, charged, and convicted. Sometime during the court proceedings, it came out that he was HIV positive. She didn’t think that she was at any risk, but she chose to get tested. It turns out, she did have HIV-and she had already put her husband at serious risk too.

She actually met with her rapist in prison, and eventually forgave him. She went on to work with deaf rape and assault victims. When I met her in the 90’s, she had to take handfulls of pills every day. I have no idea if she is still alive, but I hope she is.

Other ways that your kids could contract AIDS without having sex, although sex is a good way, include: an unfaithful spouse, receiving medical care in a less developed country (you never know where life will take your children), rape, making a stupid decision to let someone at a party give them a tattoo or piercing (even just ears), or working in a medical environment and being too lax about universal precautions. Your children could be perfect angels and still end up saddled with a terrible, painful, and ultimately lethal disease. You would deny them protection against it just to make a point about premarital sex?

I have said this before and I will say it again:

If your children believe that your steps to protect them from bad choices (or bad luck) equal a blank check to do whatever they want sexually, then you have failed as a parent. You haven’t failed because they went against your values, you failed because they clearly had no idea what your values are.

And for the record, HPV can be spread orally too, and that doesn’t just mean kissing. Sharing drinks and lipgloss can spread HPV, and two decades later that HPV can be spread to the spouse on the wedding night.

Yes. With all the possible avenues for infection, I would definitely go for it if for me and my family if the vaccine were safe. We’ve already done Hep B and HPV vaccines.

If your child were molested by a HIV positive adult, would you want to have to think about HIV infection, on top of the other issues in play?

Also, the issue of rape and contaminated blood supplies in developing countries is a very real issue for anybody who is interested or whose children are interested in travelling or working in those parts of the world. Peace Corps, for instance, has wound up in the news a lot because of the problem:

nytimes.com/2011/05/11/us/11corps.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

I’ve lived in areas with iffy medical care, and you’re just one accident and blood transfusion away from a blood-borne illness. There’s nothing far-fetched about that scenario at all.

There’s also the question–what if your daughter married a man who was secretly having sex with other men? That does happen.

 

[dixieagle]

How sad. No one, and I mean no one, is too good to get HPV, Hep B, or HIV.

Absolutely right. The example you cite is reason enough to take any reasonable precaution, if a safe vaccine is available.

I was completely astonished to learn, about 5 years ago, that I evidently had acquired - and, thankfully, cleared - Hep B. Believe me, there is not a more unlikely candidate on the face of the earth: I have - quite literally - not a single risk factor. My doctor and I went through the checklist of possible risky activities - nothing remotely close. She asked if I’d ever been vaccinated against it; our daughters had, as the vaccine came into use when they were little, but I never was. I did remember seeing a physician about 30 years ago for some symptoms that, in retrospect, could have indicated a hepatitis infection, and was told I had “some virus” that would just take some time to go away. I’m pretty sure that virus was the Hep B; not long after, I tried to donate blood but was - to my astonishment - turned down.

God only knows where I picked it up; the Hep B virus can live on surfaces for up to 7 days. From my experience, I can only surmise that it can be spread in ways other than the typical means of transmission. If I could be infected, anyone could.

So, yes, I would take an HIV vaccine in a heartbeat.

 

[Et_Cetera]

I sometimes see patients who are HIV positive, so yes. I just took a class on HIV, and they are making some promising progress toward developing such a vaccine. Also, I totally agree that you shouldn’t think you’re above something like this. You would be surprised by some of the people who have HIV.

 

[EasterJoy]

Yes, there’s a remote possibility of getting AIDS through various unlikely mechanisms. That’s not what “at risk” means. Otherwise we would say that all Americans are “at risk” of being killed by falling pianos or spontaneous human combustion.

Spontaneous human combustion?

 

[Cat]

Nope. You have to live an exceptionally depraved lifestyle to be at risk for AIDS, and I don’t.

This is a horrible thing to think and even more horrible thing to say.

Please take it back.

EVERY person who works in health care is at risk for HIV.

Even though we all have an extensive list of precautions (e.g., wearing gloves and other personal protective devices), there is still risk. It only takes a second to cut yourself or get poked by a needle. It happens all the time, and we in the lab do rapid HIV testing on all needlesticks, and we do many dozens of these tests each month-that’s a lot of needlesticks. (Almost all of them test negative for HIV, but we are in an area of the country where a very small percentage of the population tests positive for HIV. In cities like San Francisco, there are some stats indicating that 25% of patients in any clinical setting test positive for HIV.)

Even office workers in a hospital or clinic are at risk. They ride in the same elevators as patients who are taking a smoke break while wearing their IVs–there is always the possibility that the patient could have some kind of breakdown and do an injury involving blood or other body fluids to the innocent person riding the elevator with them.

And it doesn’t have to be anything so freaky. In my hospital management (the “suits”) are required to help out when the ED is excessively busy. This proximity to patients puts them at risk for HIV.

As for the OP’s question, Yes, in a second, I would be vaccinated against HIV. Although I don’t walk around work constantly worrying about being exposed to HIV, it is a fear that is always there, and it would be wonderful to be free of this fear.

I’m guessing that this vaccine would be required for all hospital workers, and those who refused would sign a lot of disclaimers in the presence of a lot of lawyers.

 

[Et_Cetera]

Nope. You have to live an exceptionally depraved lifestyle to be at risk for AIDS, and I don’t.

I wouldn’t give my kids any STD vaccine – that’s like giving them permission to go out and have sex.

This is incredibly offensive.

 

[Royalist]

EVERY person who works in health care is at risk for HIV.

According to the CDC, the risk is very low even for them.

cdc.gov/hiv/risk/other/occupational.html

Though it would be understandable to want to get this (nonexistent) vaccine if you worked in the medical field.

Of course, if there is ever a real AIDS vaccine, it would probably not be risk-free, so you’d want to balance the possible dangers of it against your chance of getting infected with AIDS. Which, assuming you don’t have sex with gay men or use needle drugs, is tiny.

 

[Et_Cetera]

According to the CDC, the risk is very low even for them.

cdc.gov/hiv/risk/other/occupational.html

Though it would be understandable to want to get this (nonexistent) vaccine if you worked in the medical field.

Of course, if there is ever a real AIDS vaccine, it would probably not be risk-free, so you’d want to balance the possible dangers of it against your chance of getting infected with AIDS. Which, assuming you don’t have sex with gay men or use needle drugs, is tiny.

You seem to be very, very misinformed on this disease. I’m in med school, and I recently took a course on HIV, which focused on its transmission heavily. You seem bent on blaming the victims. You have shown yourself to be callous throughout the entire course of this thread, and I think most people would appreciate if you stop.

You seem to discount parent-to-child transmission, heterosexual transmission, blood transfusions, etc. Not even to mention that you spoke of homosexuals and drug abusers with such utter disregard and disrespect that it was extremely un-Christian.

 

[Burt_Macklin]

I would say that the likely risk of the vaccine would outweigh any potential benefit for myself. If I decide to start using prostitutes, having receptive anal intercourse, or shooting up heroin I would have to reevaluate that risk vs benefit. I’m not going to help anybody who is hurt and bleeding out so there is also a low risk of getting HIV that way.

 

[Gordon_Sims]

Not that this is my only reason, but I have too many friends who have contracted STD’s from “virgins.” I would absolutely have the whole family get it.

 

[Burt_Macklin]

Not that this is my only reason, but I have too many friends who have contracted STD’s from “virgins.” I would absolutely have the whole family get it.

I have twice as many friends who have been bitten by sharks (2) as have been involved in an automobile crash (1). I can’t conclude anything about the risk of shark attack vs automobile crash from that. I think that you just know some characters.

Don’t get me wrong, I would discuss with a doctor the risk from the vaccine (very low I’m sure) against the risk of contracting HIV (probably exceedingly low). If there is a vaccine it would probably first go to people in high risk groups who would have first priority.

 

[mommy_k]

Yes I would get it, and would vaccinate my entire family.

This is a blood borne disease, so if you have a cut, and touch someone who also has an open wound, bloody nose etc, and is infected you can catch this. Has nothing to do with sex.

As for hepatitis, we were vaccinated. I am not familiar with the differences in hepatitis but there are many, many cases where people contracted one of them from dirty manicuring implements at the nail salons.