The Panic Virus: The True Story Behind the Vaccine-Autism Controversy
- 作者
- 出版社 Simon & Schuster
- 出版时间 2012年1月
- ISBN 9781439158654
- 定价 156.40
内容简介
WHODECIDESWHICHFACTSARETRUE?In1998AndrewWakefield,aBritishgastroenterologistwithahistoryofself-promotion,publishedapaperwithashockingallegation:themeasles-mumps-rubellavaccinemightcauseautism.Themediaseizedholdofthestoryand,intheprocess,helpedtolaunchoneofthemostdevastatinghealthscaresever.IntheyearstocomeWakefieldwouldberevealedasaprofiteerinleaguewithclass-actionlawyers,andhewouldeventuallylosehismedicallicense.Meanwhileonestudyafteranotherfailedtofindanylinkbetweenchildhoodvaccinesandautism.Yetthemyththatvaccinessomehowcausedevelopmentaldisordersliveson.Despitethelackofcorroboratingevidence,ithasbeenpopularizedbymediapersonalitiessuchasOprahWinfreyandJennyMcCarthyandlegitimizedbyjournalistswhoclaimthattheyarejustbeingfairto“bothsides”ofanissueaboutwhichthereislittledebate.Meanwhilemillionsofdollarshavebeendivertedfrompotentialbreakthroughsinautismresearch,familieshavespenttheirsavingsonineffective“miraclecures,”anddecliningvaccinationrateshaveledtooutbreaksofdeadlyillnesseslikeHib,measles,andwhoopingcough.Mosttragicofallistheincreasingnumberofchildrendyingfromvaccine-preventablediseases.InThePanicVirusSethMnookindrawsoninterviewswithparents,public-healthadvocates,scientists,andanti-vaccineactiviststotackleafundamentalquestion:Howdowedecidewhatthetruthis?Thefascinatinganswerhelpsexplaineverythingfromthepersistenceofconspiracytheoriesabout9/11totheappealoftalk-showhostswhodemandthatPresidentObama“prove”hewasborninAmerica.ThePanicVirusisarivetingandsometimesheart-breakingmedicaldetectivestorythatexploresthelimitsofrationalthought.Itistheultimatecautionarytaleforourtime.
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