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Hi Betty,

My question is about the vaccine for cervical cancer. I am quite skeptical of modern medicine and blindly following the doctor's orders, which I believe you are too, and I seem to have a real personal problem with accepting injections (stemming from a childhood drama). Besides my complete fear of needles, I generally do not believe the attitude we take towards vaccines such as the cervical cancer one is right.

Here in the UK, although it is classified as "optional" I have had to go to great lengths to avoid being vaccinated with it. Here in the UK, you're made to feel like a fool if you don't take it. Having turned it down throughout high school, even now in university I am still being "reminded" by the NHS to book an appointment to take it. It seems like they just won't let it go - it's pretty clear I don't want the vaccine!

Personally, I've been completely berated by my doctor, nurses, my family, friends and even my beautician for turning it down, despite it still being an ongoing investigative drug, and the results seem untrustworthy as of yet. I'm not putting the vaccine down, if it is genuinely saving people from developing cervical cancer, that's great, but it's my body and my choice if I want it, and solid positive evidence is yet to come. It seems to me that the UK media typically grasped hold of the idea of this vaccine just at the start of the economic downturn, in a bid to distract the public, and focus attention on how every young girl NEEDS this vaccine.

To quote the Cancer Research Uk website: There are over 100 different types of human papilloma virus (HPV). It is sometimes called the ‘wart virus’ or ‘genital wart virus’ as some types of HPV cause genital warts. The virus is passed on from one person to another through sexual contact. Many women will be infected with the HPV virus at some time during their lifetime. Often the virus causes no harm and goes away without treatment.

The vaccine is supposed to mildly prevent this from occuring (again, no real results here) but even if it did, the cancer would be at the extreme other end of this easy-to-treat virus! It would only develop into cancer if you left it to get worse for years and ignored all the symtoms! Now I have never had this virus, and probably (hopefully) won't.

I don't see why women are allowing themselves to be scared into taking unnesscessary drugs for something, that if you do one click of research about you will find, has extremely little relevance, and essentially, will make no difference, in my opinion anyway. I believe it's a classic example of going along with the crowd, just cause everyone is hyping it up, and even another way of suppressing sexual women. Anyway, I'd like to know your views on it, and thanks for reading my long rant.

Dear B,

I applaud your intelligence and independence. I totally agree with your stand to not be one of the sheep following the herd. This is an personal choice you have the right to make. I would do the same.

When I first went to see my yearly check up Doc I announced I did not take any meds unless my life was about to expire. Recently he asked if I wanted to take the flu shot. I laughed and asked if he had taken one. He smiled and said "no" but his wife always did. He said that professionally he had to ask. Or what? The pharmaceutical police would come get him and he would be tortured into compliance? Too many people are driven by fear right now. Maybe it's always been that way and I'm just now noticing it.

As I sail into my eighties with good health albeit a few aches and pains, food is my medicine and loving what I do is my best vaccine.

Dr. Betty