When flu season is around the corner, you're likely to see lots of reminders to get the flu vaccine. Is the flu vaccine likely to make much of a difference?

Only one vaccine currently protects against an infection that can directly cause cancer — the HPV vaccine. Good news about that vaccine is that research is showing that it's working very well.

Most parents get their children all the recommended vaccines. Yet, they might wonder how effective those vaccines are. Vaccines are tested for safety and effectiveness regularly.

Not all children are required to get their immunizations. Some do not get them for health reasons or for religious reasons. But these children may be more likely to get sick.

Most cases of the flu don’t lead to more than a few days home from work, or sometimes a hospital stay. In some cases, however, the flu can cause major respiratory problems and even death.

Cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, have been increasing in recent years. Public health officials have been looking for the best ways to reduce the disease in young babies.

Numbers of whooping cough cases have increased dramatically in the past several years. The biggest reason appears to be related to the newer vaccine for the disease.

Imagine a world where HIV/AIDS is no longer a major health concern – and not because of a cure for the disease but due to  prevention of the disease before it even strikes. That is the dream for many researchers and health workers focused on fighting HIV.

More than a quarter of a million women around the world die of cervical cancer every year. In this country, because of the Pap test, cervical cancer is much rarer.

One of the concerns parents might have with the flu vaccine is side effects in children with pre-existing conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease.