The Panic Virus: A True Story of Medicine, Science, and Fear by Seth Mnookin (Author). WHO DECIDES WHICH FACTS ARE TRUE?
In 1998 Andrew Wakefield, a British gastroenterologist with a historical past of self-promotion, printed a paper with a surprising allegation: the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine might trigger autism. The media seized hold of the story and, in the course of, helped to launch probably the most devastating well being scares ever. Within the years to come back Wakefield could be revealed as a profiteer in league with class-action legal professionals, and he would finally lose his medical license. In the meantime one study after one other failed to find any link between childhood vaccines and autism.
But the parable that vaccines by some means trigger developmental problems lives on. Regardless of the lack of corroborating evidence, it has been popularized by media personality reminiscent of Oprah Winfrey and Jenny McCarthy and legitimized by journalists who declare that they are just being fair to “both sides” of an issue about which there's little debate. In the meantime thousands and thousands of dollars have been diverted from potential breakthroughs in autism analysis, families have spent their savings on ineffective “miracle cures,” and declining vaccination rates have led to outbreaks of deadly sicknesses like Hib, measles, and whooping cough. Most tragic of all is the growing variety of kids dying from vaccine-preventable diseases.
In The Panic Virus Seth Mnookin draws on interviews with parents, public-health advocates, scientists, and anti-vaccine activists to deal with a basic query: How do we determine what the truth is? The fascinating reply helps clarify everything from the persistence of conspiracy theories about Sep 11 to the enchantment of discuss-present hosts who demand that President Obama “prove” he was born in America.
The Panic Virus is a riveting and typically coronary heart-breaking medical detective story that explores the limits of rational thought. It is the ultimate cautionary story for our time.
Excellent, and (despite what some will say) relatively unbiased account of the history and penalties of anti-vaccine sentiment. As a scientist, it is fascinating, but maddening to read the accounts of complete nationwide organizations devoted to denying what real, peer-reviewed, nicely-designed science has proven them.
This e book needs to be required reading for everyone with children. And everyone who comes into contact with different human beings on a daily basis. Seth Mnookin has turned his professional reporting skills to this timely subject and delivered a clear, enlightening, and definitive work. It's also a web page-turner, stuffed with fascinating historic particulars, kooky characters, dangerous decision making, and important insight into human psychology. Most of all, it shows how simple--and dangerous--it is for emotion to overwhelm evidence.
The Panic Virus: A True Story of Medicine, Science, and Fear
Seth Mnookin (Author)
448 pages
Simon & Schuster (January 11, 2011)
No comments:
Post a Comment