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19th out of 62 books
—
34 voters
Deadly Choices: How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All
There's a silent, dangerous war going on out there. On one side are parents, bombarded with stories about the dangers of vaccines, now wary of immunizing their sons and daughters. On the other side are doctors, scared to send kids out of their offices vulnerable to illnesses like whooping cough and measles--the diseases of their grandparents.How did anyone come to view vac...more
Hardcover, 288 pages
Published
December 28th 2010
by Basic Books
(first published November 17th 2010)
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This is a well-written polemic in favor of the safety of vaccines and the life-saving benefits they provide, and against those who oppose vaccines and accuse them of all sorts of ills that aren't supported by the scientific evidence.
As the chief of infectious diseases at Philadelphia Children's Hospital and an inventor of one of the rotavirus vaccines, Paul Offit not only knows what he is talking about, but has been on the front lines of the fight against those who blame vaccines for autism, ADH...more
11 likes · like · see review
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Upon finishing: my stars are subjective! It *was* a well-written, well-cited book with good flow. So good, in fact, that I wonder an immunologist didn't need a ghost writer to create such a good production value. I learned a lot. I developed many new questions. I did lots of online research. I'll be reviewing in more detail on my blog. Links later.
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Read this interview with Dr Bob Sears, where he addresses Offit's writings on Sears' vaccine ideas:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontli...
***...more
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Read this interview with Dr Bob Sears, where he addresses Offit's writings on Sears' vaccine ideas:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontli...
***...more
1 like · like · see review
I read this book for ammo in the vaccinate/don't vaccinate argument. I got plenty of it, thought this book is one-sided for sure. Paul Offit, as a prominent figure on the "vaccinate" side, has lots of enemies in the world (jenny mccarthy, barbara loe fisher) and so a lot of this book it just spent defaming the loudest voices in the anti-vaccination movement, which gets old. I wish parts of it had been a little more scientific, like when he made claims about certain statistics or outbreaks he did...more
It continues to perplex and terrify me that there are people who live among us who don't vaccinate their children due to lies, misinformation and woeful, horrible ignorance. To these kinds of people I say, a) Stay the hell away from me, my family, my loved ones and anyone I hold dear, which includes all of humanity. b) Read this book, cover to cover, multiple times, until the information sets in. Unfortunately, many people won't, because they're idiots. Jenny McCarthy, by the way, should rot in...more
*Disclaimer* My husband is an Immunologist so I was already convinced before starting the book.
I think EVERY parent should read this. Seth has gotten asked on numerous occasions about vaccines and how he feels about their risks. He honestly answers them that he hasn't studied much with vaccines but from everything he has read, vaccines do great things without much scientific evidence of the contrary. Now he has a book to point them to.
Offit explains the history of the anti-vaccine movement goin...more
I think EVERY parent should read this. Seth has gotten asked on numerous occasions about vaccines and how he feels about their risks. He honestly answers them that he hasn't studied much with vaccines but from everything he has read, vaccines do great things without much scientific evidence of the contrary. Now he has a book to point them to.
Offit explains the history of the anti-vaccine movement goin...more
5 likes · like · see review
This book is a comprehensive look at the history of the battles between vaccine advocates and anti-vaccine proponents dating all the way back to the 1850's(Edward Jenner's smallpox vaccine). Offit, often antagonized for profiting from his patent on a Rotavirus vaccine, takes on his opponents with patience, controlled passion, and science.
It's not mentioned in the book, but after reviewing a lot of the websites out there about people trying to undercut Dr. Offit's work by insinuating that money...more
It's not mentioned in the book, but after reviewing a lot of the websites out there about people trying to undercut Dr. Offit's work by insinuating that money...more
passionate brief in favor of the utility of vaccines for kids, countering the view that they cause autism etc. Very convincing, though I didn't need much convincing on these points, and we did get all recommended vaccinations for our kids, and the main study initiating the autism scare has been recently exposed as not just wrong but fraudulent, so it would not have taken much to convince me.
What I hadn't known well before, but is covered thoroughly in the book, is the whole history of anti-vacci...more
What I hadn't known well before, but is covered thoroughly in the book, is the whole history of anti-vacci...more
It's amazing what people do to convince themselves that they're right when all the evidence at hand points to the opposite. Vaccines do NOT cause autism. They don't cause diabetes, epilepsy, or any other disease. What they do is PREVENT the spread of deadly infections (both bacterial and viral).
Most of the anti-vac crowd seem to suffer from the Dunning-Kruger effect:
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%...)
The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which unskilled people make poor decisio...more
Most of the anti-vac crowd seem to suffer from the Dunning-Kruger effect:
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%...)
The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which unskilled people make poor decisio...more
A very interesting book presenting elements of our nation's history that I was unfamiliar with, as well as providing scientific evidence to support the safety of vaccines. I really enjoyed the book, and was at times unsettled by some of the content. I am very pro-vaccine, so most of what I drew from the reading was related to the litigation history and some of the studies I was less familiar with. Despite the fact that it was a required read for a course, I really started wanting to read it and...more
This book wasn't one that I had heard about or had on my "to-read" list. I just walked into the library and saw it on the New Arrivals stand. It caught my attention because of 2 reasons: 1. The current measles outbreak in Utah and having 2 infants under the age of 1 who can't receive their MMR yet. 2. Having 2 infants who are currently going through the huge round of immunizations that children receive. Like all mothers, I was concerned because of reports you hear in the media, stories that are...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
A-mazing! Dr. Offit did a great job outlining the history of the anti-vaccine movement (which actually started way back when Jenner first came up with the idea for the small pox vaccine). He presented scientific facts to debunk every single anti-vaccine idea. Every. single. one. But he balanced it with stories of vaccine reactions--true reactions, not "my kid got autism and I know it was the vaccine"--and vaccine failures. He always came back to the point that there have been some true vaccine p...more
A very informative read, which makes a lot of sense.
I have heard every argument against vaccines, it's common ground when you have little ones. Everyone wants to tell you why they don't do it, or why they vaccinate on a different schedule. Trying to stay up on it, I have read the Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears and every other major source that comes along.
I always wondered though about all of the children who died of these infectious diseases, surely death is worse than autism, especially when you th...more
I have heard every argument against vaccines, it's common ground when you have little ones. Everyone wants to tell you why they don't do it, or why they vaccinate on a different schedule. Trying to stay up on it, I have read the Vaccine Book by Dr. Sears and every other major source that comes along.
I always wondered though about all of the children who died of these infectious diseases, surely death is worse than autism, especially when you th...more
Preaching to the choir here in this book, because I'm pro-vaccine (and very anti-anti-vaxxers!), so I didn't learn a ton of new things. But there are excellent examples of how some "doctors" support false science and hurt children (and adults), usually for their own ends, and how some anti-vaxxers refuse to use logic and reason because their emotion really gets in the way. It's just sad. Also a lot of great explanations about herd immunity and the effect non-immunized children have on this. Some...more
1 like · like · see review
This was a really interested book, well argued and with lots of great information. It was more of a 3.5 stars, just because it was informative and compelling, but mostly to the extent that you find the topic interesting--it's a very readable and compelling argument for someone who is interested or invested in the topic. There were parts that were slower than others, and occasionally I got a little bogged down in the numbers, but those were occasional spots that really emphasized how interesting...more
Paul A. Offit is the author of
and was featured in Episode 25 of my Books and Ideas podcast. This book is an important follow-up.
It provides a clear but detailed history of the anti-vaccine movement in the US and the UK, but more importantly it explains WHY this movement threatens the health of everyone (especially children).
Everyone who believes that medical decisions should be guided by science should read this book.
Dr. Offit will be appearing on the next episode of Books and Ideas at the en...more
and was featured in Episode 25 of my Books and Ideas podcast. This book is an important follow-up.It provides a clear but detailed history of the anti-vaccine movement in the US and the UK, but more importantly it explains WHY this movement threatens the health of everyone (especially children).
Everyone who believes that medical decisions should be guided by science should read this book.
Dr. Offit will be appearing on the next episode of Books and Ideas at the en...more
Truthfully, I didn't read every bit of this, skimmed probably 40 percent of it, but only because (1) I'm persuaded of the author's point, and (2) It's all moot since I'm not a parent nor planning to be. I read this just because I know people who are very much on the anti-vaccine movement. The book's title is almost misleading. This book is only marginally interested in explaining how the anti-vaccine movement threatens us all, which is mostly does in the 8 page introduction, and hardly anywhere...more
This book was VERY well-done. I just wish we could have it read out loud to prospective parents persuaded by the credentials of Playboy bunnies who frighten them away from vaccines. This book clearly lays out where the scaremongers are wrong, WHY they are wrong, and why it matters to all of us. This has been an issue becoming increasingly worrying to me recently, since every year, as more and more parents refuse to vaccinate, the yearly pertussis outbreaks in my area get worse and worse. And my...more
I read this book and I cried. For the foolish people who choose to believe the lies of the likes of Jenny and Barbara. For the children like myself who will inadvertently sicken and die from the actions of those people. To think that vaccination worked so well that people now believe that the diseases they protect us from aren't as horrible as reality says they are.
I believe that people who do not want to be vaccinated should be kept far from the rest of us. And if they choose to hide that fact...more
I believe that people who do not want to be vaccinated should be kept far from the rest of us. And if they choose to hide that fact...more
I had a list of things that I planned to do today, but I started reading this book mid-morning over my second cup of coffee and with only a couple of interruptions, I read it straight through. It is a very clear, high level discussion of potential harm and benefit from vaccination beginning with the work (and controversy) of Jenner's initially efforts against smallpox. The book is very well referenced, so that the reader can easily find the documentation for essentially every study result or int...more
I was agonizing over the decision to vaccinate my children during the 2009 Swine Flu pandemic when I first read about Dr. Paul Offit. The article assuaged my fears and changed my outlook on vaccination. Some people (including Bill Maher)claim that the H1N1 epidemic was overblown. Dr. Offit pointed out in the book that the CDC estimates 61 million people were infected with the swine flu that year, 274,000 were hospitalized, and 12,470 people died (1,280 of whom were children). http://www.cdc.gov/...more
1 like · like · see review
For those looking to understand the origins of anti-vaccine sentiment, read Deadly Choices.
What struck me is the deep history behind the anti-vaccine movement. From Jenner’s smallpox fix to modern day MMR struggles, Offit draws fascinating corollaries surrounding immunization that seem to defy the generations. Vaccine resistance was not born of Andrew Wakefield but broader concerns rooted in religion, individual liberty, fear and propaganda. Deadly Choices puts the anti-vaccine movement in a his...more
What struck me is the deep history behind the anti-vaccine movement. From Jenner’s smallpox fix to modern day MMR struggles, Offit draws fascinating corollaries surrounding immunization that seem to defy the generations. Vaccine resistance was not born of Andrew Wakefield but broader concerns rooted in religion, individual liberty, fear and propaganda. Deadly Choices puts the anti-vaccine movement in a his...more
Feb 13, 2013
Katinka
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
non-fiction,
science
This book is very imformative and well written. It gives clear info and sources are clearly cited everywhere. In the debate around vaccines this is very necessary due to much misinformation going on and people stating things that have no scientific grounds whatsoever. So I was glad to be able to read something about this debate, that does rely on scientific fact.
I am very much pro vaccines, so I might be a bit biased when I say this book was very good. But I will say this: it is obvious the auth...more
I am very much pro vaccines, so I might be a bit biased when I say this book was very good. But I will say this: it is obvious the auth...more
For my Master's degree I conducted two research studies aimed at 1)determining if one's vaccination choice was influenced by increasing awareness of the herd immunity concept, and 2) what parental-held concerns were regarding childhood immunizations and how/if those concerns were affecting their decisions to vaccinate their children. Dr. Offit was a major source of accurate data representation and presentation of proper dissemination methods for my studies. After performing an extensive literatu...more
Reading the introduction online.
Here is Paul talking about the danger. http://youtu.be/ve0hEyjc8Hw
Here is the news related to the un-vaccine children. http://children.webmd.com/vaccines/ne...
Measles 2008 San Diego: http://children.webmd.com/vaccines/ne...
I'm 100% convinced that anti-vaccination making children vulnerable disease that is preventable by vaccine. The ignorant of people involve in anti-vaccine movement are not only putting their own children at risk, but other people children too.
T...more
Here is Paul talking about the danger. http://youtu.be/ve0hEyjc8Hw
Here is the news related to the un-vaccine children. http://children.webmd.com/vaccines/ne...
Measles 2008 San Diego: http://children.webmd.com/vaccines/ne...
I'm 100% convinced that anti-vaccination making children vulnerable disease that is preventable by vaccine. The ignorant of people involve in anti-vaccine movement are not only putting their own children at risk, but other people children too.
T...more
This was a fascinating and horrifying read. It addressed the history of vaccines, as well as the anti-vaccine movement, which started very shortly after the first vaccine (for smallpox, via cowpox) was developed. The amount of misinformation in the world that is used by anti-vaccine activists is truly saddening. Having taken a fair amount of immunology coursework in my educational path to my two degrees, I felt that I was well prepared to read this book; however, the book is written in such a wa...more
This is a fairly good book about the anti-vaccine movement and the real truth about vaccine safety. It compares and contrasts the current anti-vaccine movement with those of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. It goes into and debunks a lot of the misconceptions and falsehoods that are circulating around the Internet and in the media. As a pediatrician I have to deal with this on a daily basis in trying to reassure parents about the efficacy and safety of vaccines. Sadly, even if my parents...more
Amazing and troubling. It was the most thorough and well-researched discussion of the anti-vaccine movement I've seen. The author does a fantastic job of showing the history of vaccine opposition starting with smallpox and leading all the way to today. His concluding discussion of possible scenarios that will lead back to high levels of immunization was accurate, but the reality of the entire story is devastatingly sad. I managed to not break down crying until the end.
I ripped through this bad boy pretty quickly- Dr. Offit does some engaging, persuasive science writing. The alarm-sounding is there, too, but it's more palatable to me in a context like this one, where logic, history, and hard science are all there to back up the ideas. And since a lot of the emotional drama shows up at the beginnings and endings of chapters, I almost wonder whether an editor asked him to throw it in there to keep the intensity going for more easily bored readers.
Blue bookcase...more
Blue bookcase...more
This is a must-read for any parent, especially those with concerns about vaccines. It provides a compelling background on the anti-vaccine movement. Furthermore, it explains how modern vaccines work and what distinguishes the from past vaccines. Dr. Offit uses his credentials in immunology to describe how herd immunity works. Finally, he provides real suggestions for improving vaccine safety. It embodies the concept of science-based medicine.
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Paul A. Offit, MD is the Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and the Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Offit is also the Maurice R. Hilleman Professor of Vaccinology, and a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He is a recipient of many awards including the J. Edmund Bradley Prize for Excellence...more
More about Paul A. Offit...
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