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ne ol the rvgiorfs top health omcers hopes parents of Grade 8 girls will com sent to having their daughters vacci- mated against a cancer-causing virus during free clinics this year. I Waterloo Region public health nurses will be travelling to public and Catholic schools starting this month to give the Gardasil vaccine developed to protect females from the Human Papillo- mavirus. a common family of viruses known to cause cervical cancer, The vac- cines are voluntary and parents must sign consent forms before girls can be immunized. The permission forms were sent home with 3,000 Grade 8 girls across the region last week. "We're encouraging parents to con- sider this for Grade 8 girls." said Dr. Lana Nolan, commissioner and medical officer of health at the region. She is aware the vaccine has sparked a lot of "public interest" after a paper was published in a Canadian Medical Association journal suggesting that a wide-spread immunization program should operate under a "yellow light of caution." Prepared by Abby Uppman. chair of the Canadian Women's Health Network. the paper said there are too many unan- swerved questions and the immunization initiative may be premature. Noting that Lippman's report was only one of six published about the HPV vaccine, Nolan said there is overwhelm- ing evidence to show the immunizations are valuable. "This vaccine is certainly effective," she said. "The risks and benefits are very similar to that of other vaccines out there." But Nolan hopes parents, who may have to begin signing consent forms immediately depending on clinic sched- ules, will ask questions if they need information. Catering to fit your budget I provide a variety of food platters for business and personal functions using only the freshest ingredients. prepared the day of your event. I have successfully completed a chef 's course at a culinary school, also a safe food handling course. l have more than IO years of experience in the food industry. q Sandwich Trays . Fruit Trays q Vegetable Trays . Sweet Trays . Cheese ' Cracker Trays Call 519-884-2362 "We'll talk to people individually Medical officer asks parents to consider vaccination By Lu Wk [in the Chronicle about their concerns," she said. "We really want people to make an informed decision." The HPV vaccine is recommended for females between the ages of nine and 26 but is most effective when given before the onset of sex, explained Nolan. "The best possible iiiiCia7,iiiiTiriaa TGGGKiiG "bird-mu“ 'uwmummhww burner-narmic‘m kumrmjm on mm ”DA 1 L D 30 c tiNijih,',ij,r'gg.,s, e, um": ADDlIANCE CENTRE ti; "mnwhmm-M 'CaGrCiiaT'Jary-eeerrteseS-s $225.1?"va I‘M-MW! lmumm OHMY WANNA CHATUP tBATES BORE KPELIANCE CENTRE 888-7204 “MAHAG LIVE THE LUXURY 0F COMFORTABLE FASHION BY I Tile fedeiai government has committed SIUAHI $lfllllillill 30 COLUMBIA ST. E., WATERLOO 1 tiiecr l l WW5! WAIERLOU CHRONICLE ~Wednuday, September l3. £007 . 7 muutmvvu'w new» -tm-smrr"eWStM" Mum-Mano