This week’s headlines regarding the U.S. measles outbreak are alarming: U.S. officials say measles cases hit 25-year record high (The Washington Post). The controversy and consequences surrounding vaccination are of concern and lead us to feature the following books about vaccines throughout history and in current parenting guides:
Meredith Wadman’s masterful account recovers not only the science of this urgent race, but the political roadblocks that nearly stopped the scientists. It also tells a profoundly human story about the agony of pregnant women exposed to German measles; the ethics of testing on infants, orphans, and mentally disabled children; the war (still raging) over using human fetal tissue in research; and yet another unrecognized woman whose cells have been used to save countless lives. It tracks the arrival of big commerce into campus labs and the huge changes that occurred in attitudes and laws governing who could make money from biological inventions.
Using science-informed analysis alongside original art and powerful essays, health science leader Timothy Caulfield debunks the myths and false assumptions about vaccination safety and effectiveness. Accessible, informative, and entertaining, The Vaccination Picture tells the true story of vaccines, their uses, and their positive effects for everyone.
In medical school when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was diagnosed with the disease shortly before assuming the Presidency, Jonas Salk was given an impetus to conduct studies on polio. His progress in combating the virus was hindered by the politics of medicine and by a rival researcher determined to discredit his proposed solution. But Salk’s perseverance made history-and for more than fifty years his vaccine has saved countless lives, bringing humanity close to eradicating polio throughout the world.
The latest available information on vaccinations for children (including the meningococcal, HPV vaccinations and rotavirus), as well the most-up-to date schedules and additional information parents need to know to help them make the right decisions regarding vaccines. Regardless of where you stand on the issue of childhood vaccination, everyone agrees that the health of our children is paramount. The Parents’ Concise Guide to Childhood Vaccinations, Second Edition is your complete guide to making sure your child gets the proper care at this important time in their development.
An accessible and reassuring guide to childhood health and immunity from a pediatrician who’s both knowledgeable about the latest scientific research and respectful of a family’s risk factors, health history, and concerns
“A valuable, science-supported guide to optimizing your child’s health while you navigate through complex choices in a toxic, challenging world.”—Martha Herbert, M.D., Ph.D., Harvard Medical School
(FROM PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE PRESS RELEASE)
