Vaccine: The Controversial Story of Medicine's Greatest Lifesaver

I am interested in all aspects of science, particularly recent controversies. This book covers the mixed history of vaccines in a very thorough way. The author does not hesitate to criticize vaccines, and points out with great clarity those problems that did occur with shots in the past. I especially enjoyed how he was able to bring the personalities of the characters so vividly to life. But his overall conclusion is that vaccines are presently safer than ever before. And that's not because he is a "pharma tool", but because he has really looked at this issue and has made a rational, realistic conclusion. This book deserves to be read by everyone, and in particular by those parents hesitating over the question of whether to vaccinate their children.

Arthur Allen has written a fascinating history of the science and policy of immunization. The story he tells is more than a medical history. It is also a social and political history of the US--how Americans have responded to, and in some cases, resisted, one of the 20th century's most important public health interventions. Policymakers and vaccine manufacturers would do well to remember the lessons of the yellow fever and swine flu vaccines. And parents who think that vaccines are worse than the diseases that they prevent may find the horrifying descriptions of vaccine-preventable whooping cough outbreaks in the US very informative.

"Vaccine" is a timely and pertinent book that does an outstanding job of analyzing the many controversies that have plagued (pun intended) vaccines since their beginning. Always a hotbed of controversy, the debate surrounding vaccines has arisen again as a new generation of parents questions the politics and implications behind the HPV vaccine for girls. This book should be a must-read for parents before they decide NOT to inoculate their children. The book notes there are pockets within communities of highly educated (and very, shall we say, freethinking) parents who don't vaccinate their kids. The chapter titled "People Who Prefer Whooping Cough" tells the intriguing story of a Waldorf School (this one in Boulder, Co.) which maintains that children should become very ill in order to develop into spiritually whole human beings. Public health officials have been tracing many whooping cough outbreaks to this school in Boulder, and cases were showing up more and more in nearby cities like Golden, Colorado Springs and Fort Collins. Also of interest is the chapter that examines vaccines and whether there is a link to the recent `epidemic' of autism. This book can be a valuable resource for families looking for a comprehensive history of the issue. Arthur Allen has exhaustively researched and dissected his subject matter, as his 50 pages of footnotes show. His narrative, conversational tone and his skill at weaving the pieces of the story together help make this a highly readable, informative book despite its inherent complexities.

This will appeal to many people, from history buffs to health professionals and those of us who also love a good story. Myself, I always enjoy the human behavior aspect to how things came to be in our society, and the story of vaccination is terrific. Aside from the fun aspect of this book, Mr. Allen manages to write compassionately about the real people who have believed that their children's autism was caused by vaccines. There has been so much propaganda and spurious argumentation around this issue (particularly by people like Don Imus--he should be ashamed of himself), which has unfortunately lead many parents of children with autism to believe that vaccination caused their child's disability. I hope very much that Mr. Allen's work will help shine the light of reason on that sad situation.

Arthur Allen is a really gifted writer with the ability to make history and science come alive in this compelling look at vaccines. I think Vaccines is an especially important book for people -- and especially parents -- to read right now because of the re-appearance of diseases we thought we had long ago eradicated and the decision some people are making not to vaccinate their children because of fears that it may do more harm than good. This is a complicated and emotional topic, and Allen does us all a great service by presenting the facts, opinions, propaganda and misconceptions with no ax to grind. Even if you don't find all the answers you seek in this book, you will be much better equipped to ask the right questions.