I visited the local medical clinic the other day and was horrified to see a government-issued poster advertising the Gardasil vaccine, clearly targeting young girls!
With colorful floral graphics and smiling little girls, these posters (can be viewed at http://immunizebc.ca/i-have-immunity/spreadword) are aimed at children who are too young to weigh the known risks vs. potential benefits associated the Gardasil vaccine, and none of the risks are even mentioned.
Isn’t it parents who are supposed to be making decisions as to which vaccines and medications are right for our children? This reminds me of the “nag factor” exploited by many children’s advertisers. These posters make the vaccine look appealing and cool, failing to mention the risks/side effects associated with the product, the fact that the vast majority of HPV infections go away on their own after a few years and do not result in cervical cancer, nor do the posters mention the many other steps girls can take toward preventing all types of cancer (as well as many other diseases!), such as eating more fruits and vegetables, limiting exposure to known carcinogenic environmental pollutants and chemical food additives and simply getting adequate sun exposure and managing stress
Tanya MacDonald, Cortes Island