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The Panic Virus: A True Story of Medicine, Science, and Fear by Seth Mnookin - 4 stars
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Oooo, I have seen this one and have been on the fence but I think I may pick it up! And, as you probably guessed, I am also pro vaccine ;)
It's funny because I even thought "if anyone responds, it will be Nicole". I hope you like it. Even if you don't, it's a fairly quick read lol
Funny, I usually like to read alternative views on controversial issues. But, like you, I just can't stomach an anti-vaccine opinion. Maybe it is because I've dealt with immune suppressing drugs for so long that I have some major prejudices on the issue. Ha!
Regina wrote: "Funny, I usually like to read alternative views on controversial issues. But, like you, I just can't stomach an anti-vaccine opinion. Maybe it is because I've dealt with immune suppressing drugs fo..."I had a friends's daughter die from whooping cough at 3 months old last year because she chose not to vaccinate. It was so heart breaking especially since it was preventable.
My husband mentioned reading from the anti-vaccine prospective for me. I told him that I'm willing to look at both sides of many things but this isn't one of them.
Leah wrote: "....without rolling my eyes so far up my head they would get lost. ..."I laughed out loud at that statement! (p.s. I work at a major medical center and we are ALL required to get vaccinations ... I got flu, pneumonia, shingles and DPT booster last year)
The Panic Virus: A True Story of Medicine, Science, and Fear by Seth Mnookin
429 pages
★★★★
Heads up – this is a pro-vaccine book and I am a pro-vaccine person so I am sure I am biased on the merits of this book. Because let’s be honest, I don’t know many anti-vaccine people who would read this book (and if they did, they would think it’s all a lie or cover-up – words out of an anti-vaccine mom I know) just as I’m not likely to read a book on anti-vaccination without rolling my eyes so far up my head they would get lost.
With that out of the way, I will say I enjoyed this book. I didn’t need it to change my mind, I wasn’t on the fence, I was just curious. It is a well-researched, informative, easy to read book and I think, fair. I get it, the author gets it, autism is a very real thing and as a parent it’s scary and you want answers and there are none so you have to blame someone and out of the woodwork comes “doctors” and celebrities who tell you it’s the vaccines and you grasp to it, because hey, it’s an answer and you need one so desperately. I get it, I’m a parent. But science is your friend! Anyway, the author talks about all the medical aspects of it in terms easily understood by the scientifically challenged….aka me. He talks about the history of immunizations and the changes. He looks at both sides but as can be expected always comes out on the pro-vaccination side. It’s a good book if you’re interested in such things.