At least a few times a month in family practice, the walk-in, or the emergency department, I encounter a distraught patient who suddenly comes to the realization that he or she needs to be more "careful" about their practices and encounters. Our conversation usually goes something like this: "Hey doc, I need you to check me for everything, and when I say everything, I mean everything." Some of you may have clued in that everything is referring in particular to sexually transmitted infections (STDs). It is possible to diagnose an STD with the right investigations, but what if we could prevent them with a vaccine like we prevent polio and measles? When it comes to human papillomavirus infection (HPV), we can.

For those of you who had a family doctor prior to the year 2005, you may remember walking into an office with a small, cramped waiting room facing a secretary’s desk piled with patient charts. Beyond the waiting room, you could find a narrow corridor, leading to a few examination rooms, in one of which you would encounter your grumpy family doctor, who likely would only have all of three minutes to assess your health concern and send you on your way. All of this trouble, despite your 2 hour wait in that little waiting room and 3 week wait prior to making this appointment. I am sure we have all experienced this very scenario, myself included.