It'sLabor Day Weekend, and the traditional dividing line between summer andfall. The days become just a little bit shorter, vacationers return totheir jobs, and the kids return to school. For those who are parents,your thoughts may be turning to the question of annual vaccinations.And even for those of us who are not parents, the recent introductionof the HPV vaccine has made quite a splash - over the past few months,advertisements have been popping up everywhere, telling us about ourrisk of getting cervical cancer from this previously little-mentionedSTD.HPV (or Human papillomavirus) is actually a group ofviruses that includes more than 100 different strains. About 30 ofthese strains are sexually transmitted, and can infect the genital areain both men and women. Most strains of the virus are known as "lowrisk" and will usually clear up on their own, with no visible symptoms(though in some cases, the virus will be accompanied by genital warts -which will also usually clear up on their own, though medications tospeed that process are available).According to the :"All types of HPV can cause mild Pap test abnormalities which do not have serious consequences. Approximately 10 of the 30 identified genital HPV types can lead, in rare cases, to development of cervical cancer. Research has shown that for most women (90 percent), cervical HPV infection becomes undetectable within two years.Although only a small proportion of women have persistent infection,persistent infection with "high-risk" types of HPV is the main riskfactor for cervical cancer." (Emphasis added.)While the virusitself is increasingly common (at least 50% of sexually active men andwomen will acquire a genital HPV infection at some point), the instanceof developing cervical cancer from the virus is actually fairly rare.So, then, why all the hype?Partof the controversy surrounding this vaccine stems from the actions ofits parent company, Merck, pushing states to make this vaccinemandatory for all 11-12 year old girls, as the governor of Texas triedto do ().The company states that the vaccine is most effective in girls andwomen who have never had any of the four strains of HPV that arecovered by the vaccine, therefore, it's important to inoculate womenbefore they become sexually active.While preventing anyinstance of cancer is a good thing, many people don't like the idea ofmaking this vaccine mandatory. Aside from the fact that the vaccineonly covers 4 out of the 10 genital HPV strains associated withcervical cancer, it is also brand new - with no studies available onany potential long-term effects. And as we all know, our bodies willsee changes and effects from anything we put into them - whether food,herbal tonics, drugs or vaccinations. With many foods and herbs, wehave thousands of years of observed effects to tell us what the likelybenefits and risks might be - not so with many drugs and even "triedand true" vaccinations; they simply haven't been around long enough forus to know.Vaccinations in generalThere has beena growing awareness in recent years of some of the dangers of vaccines- the most publicized of which has revolved around the use of mercury(a toxic substance) as a preservative in many vaccines. There have beengrowing reports of side effects and complications resulting from evennon-mercury formulations ().Our takeFroman LSW perspective, our position is - as always - one of EMPOWERMENT.YOUR empowerment. The most important thing you can do for yourself andyour health is to become an informed consumer. Research the pros andcons of any medical procedure you are considering. Understand thebenefits and the potential risks, BEYOND what your doctor or "theauthorities" tell you.Going on a trip to a foreign country? Youwill likely be told you need a slew of vaccinations. Research foryourself what you are likely to be exposed to in the areas you'revisiting, and you may be surprised to find that you need far fewer thanyou’d been told.(It's currently been approved for women up to age 26.) Either way isokay, but first - educate yourself, and then decide what YOU feel isbest for YOU.Tell us what you thinkShare yourthoughts and feelings and even questions on this controversial topic inour comments section below, and an LSW counselor will respond!LaughingSage Wellness is committed to helping women become their own bestexperts on their bodies and their health. After all, who knows youbetter than YOU?www.laughingsagewellness.com