Vaccines: What You Should Know, Third Edition [Paperback]

Paul A. Offit (Author), Louis M. Bell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 2003

Get the straight facts about vaccines and make informed choices

Do you wonder whether vaccines are safe and whether they are all really necessary? This completely revised and updated edition of the classic Vaccines: What You Should Know helps you sort through the latest information about vaccines in order to determine what is right for your family.

Coauthored by Paul Offit, a member of the CDC advisory committee that determines which vaccines are recommended for use in the United States, this guide tells you what vaccines are made of and clearly explains how they are made, how they work, and the risks associated with them.

This updated edition includes recommendations for the smallpox vaccine, the latest information on vaccines for travelers, and the latest on the progress of combination vaccines. Expanded information on vaccine safety includes discussion of vaccines and autism, mercury in vaccines, and the ability of children to tolerate numerous vaccines at once.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Get the straight facts about vaccines and make informed choices

Do you wonder whether vaccines are safe and whether they are all really necessary? This completely revised and updated edition of the classic Vaccines: What You Should Know helps you sort through the latest information about vaccines in order to determine what is right for your family.

Coauthored by Paul Offit, a member of the CDC advisory committee that determines which vaccines are recommended for use in the United States, this guide tells you what vaccines are made of and clearly explains how they are made, how they work, and the risks associated with them.

This updated edition includes recommendations for the smallpox vaccine, the latest information on vaccines for travelers, and the latest on the progress of combination vaccines. Expanded information on vaccine safety includes discussion of vaccines and autism, mercury in vaccines, and the ability of children to tolerate numerous vaccines at once.

About the Author

PAUL A. OFFIT, M.D., is Chief of Infectious Diseases at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. The author of Breaking the Antibiotic Habit, he lives with his wife and two children in the Philadelphia area.
LOUIS M. BELL, M.D., is Chief of General Pediatrics at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He lives with his wife and seven children in the Philadelphia area.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 3 edition (April 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471420042
• ISBN-13: 978-0471420040
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,298,547 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The reality of Sears vs Offit, October 27, 2010

By 

Urie Bay (San Diego) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vaccines: What You Should Know (Paperback)

I find it incredibly ironic that anyone would suggest that Paul Offit offers a biased view of vaccines and BOB SEARS is a good unbiased alternative. I'm a fellow pediatrician practicing in the same community as the Sears clan, and for those not familiar with "Dr. Bob", he's the Glenn Beck of the pediatric world--loud, uninformed, making giant specious arguments based on small outlying inaccurate pieces of minutia without any deep understanding of the topics he's discussing and drawing connections between completely unrelated pieces of information, all with an underlying profit motive at the expense of his smallest and most vulnerable patients. (Yes, there is a small rabid fanbase who worships at his doorstep, but that doesn't make what he preaches any more rational or fact-based.)

Paul Offit does offer a one sided discussion, but the side is science and rationality. Sears, who damned well knows that vaccines are the single safest, most tested and closely regulated product manufactured in the world, has made himself a very wealthy man playing on the fears of parents who deserve honest legitimate information, and takes absolutely no responsibility for the recent local outbreaks first of measles (for which he and the completely discredited Andrew Wakefield were largely responsible) and pertussis (in which his completely irrational "alternate" put-your-kid-at-increased-risk-from-life-threatening-diseases schedules is only one of several factors currently killing babies in San Diego).

If you have an anti-vaccine agenda, lack critical thinking skills and are just looking for someone to reinforce your uninformed preconceived ideas, you will hate Paul Offit. But if you are a parent who is truly wondering what all the noise is about, and whether or not you should be worried about vaccinating your children, and you want the real facts then read Dr. Offit's books. He is the single best source for accurate information on vaccination in this country, and probably in the world. He and his program also make huge amounts of accurate information about vaccines available for free on the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia website--google CHOP Vaccine Education Center. (You want Dr. Bob's schedule? You gotta buy his book.)

And, as is the standard in medicine these days, I will give you my disclaimer: I have no profit involvement in either of these gentlemen, and no personal relationship with Dr. Offit (and only a very casual professional acquaintance with Dr. Sears). I am a pediatrician in private practice with a strong background in, passion for and knowledge of infectious disease and vaccinations whose sole agenda is acting in the best interests of my patients.

14 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From one of the foremost authorities on vaccines in the country, October 8, 2007

By 

Know the Truth "Pediatrician" (Salt Lake City, UT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vaccines: What You Should Know, Third Edition (Paperback)

I felt compelled to write a review of this wonderful book as the negative reviews are those from people who are all anti-vaccine and think Dr. Offit is only trying to make a buck. This book is well thought out and only reports the facts which are supported by the medical literature. It is a great resource if you really value knowing what the validated evidence about vaccines really is and would like to base your decision on that. My guess is that some of the reviewers here have not even read the book and are just reacting to the fact that it was written by Dr. Offit.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars better than expected, May 25, 2010

By 

jaguarbooks - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vaccines: What You Should Know, Third Edition (Paperback)

After my sister had 5 children over the past 8 years, one with Asperger's tendencies and two that wound up with cataracts and needing their lenses removed whereas now they need to wear coke-bottle glasses, I became increasingly cautious about vaccines and what reactions they may cause. Previously I was in the health field and never would've questioned them until it hit as close as family. I also have Dr. Sears book, The Vaccine Book. Paul Offit's books were recommended me by my pediatrician. I am not finished reading either book but I was surprised at how helpful I have found Dr. Offit's book. I would recommend this book for any with questions about vaccines. I find it a great resource, presented clearly and written in a fashion that is understandable by the lay person I would say.