VACCINES: ARE THEY WORTH A SHOT?

1. Who Is Afraid of Vaccines?
2. A Brief History of Anti-vaccination Movements
3. The Accusations Against Vaccinations on the Internet: Autism, Mercury and Immunological Overload
4. How to Unmask the Anti-vaccination “Experts”
5. The Past, Present and Future of Vaccines
6. Conclusions

The dangerous decline in vaccinations in many developed countries is at the heart of a lively debate that confirms how important the subject is today. Vaccinations are among mankind’s most important scientific discoveries, yet they continue to be viewed with suspicion by part of the public – the victims of disinformation campaigns, instrumentalization and unfounded fears. There is, however, also an evolutionary explanation for these irrational beliefs, and countering the growing social opposition will be extremely difficult without grasping it.
This book, which sheds new light on the safety and importance of vaccinations, is intended both for parents and those readers who want to understand the role of vaccinations in contemporary society, where the ease of access to knowledge is both a great opportunity and a great responsibility. The chapters follow a historical progression and conclude with a discussion of the most recent cognitive theories on how to overcome this opposition to vaccinations.

Features
• Offers readers an introduction from worldwide vaccination authority Paul Offit
• Combats common misconceptions and false arguments in the debate over vaccinations
• Provides scientific and historical information for those readers who feel overwhelmed by the various arguments from both sides

Author
Andrea Grignolio teaches the history of medicine at the Sapienza University of Rome and carries out research on the history of vaccinations at the Université François Rabelais of Tours. He has had an international education, which has taken him from Paris to Boston to Berkeley. He has published in national and international journals and writes for “la Repubblica” and “La Stampa”.