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Vaccines: Are they Worth a Shot?

  • Book
  • © 2018

Overview

Authors:
  1. Andrea Grignolio

    1. Unit and Museum of History of Medicine, Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

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  • 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

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Table of contents (6 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xii
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  2. Who Is Afraid of Vaccines?

    • Andrea Grignolio
    Pages 1-23

  3. A Brief History of Anti-vaccination Movements

    • Andrea Grignolio
    Pages 25-40

  4. The Accusations Against Vaccinations on the Internet: Autism, Mercury and Immunological Overload

    • Andrea Grignolio
    Pages 41-89

  5. How to Unmask the Anti-vaccination “Experts”

    • Andrea Grignolio
    Pages 91-109

  6. The Past, Present and Future of Vaccines

    • Andrea Grignolio
    Pages 111-135

  7. Conclusions

    • Andrea Grignolio
    Pages 137-153

  8. Back Matter

    Pages 155-181
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Keywords

About this book

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.

Reviews

“The book covers what the author sees as the future of vaccines and even a section on effectively communicating resistance to the anti-vaccine trend. While the book is translated from Italian and includes many European examples, it also incorporates examples and citations from US and Canadian sources and remains relevant to an American audience. The extensive reference list could be useful for anyone studying this topic.” (C. A. Tomlinson, Choice, Vol. 56 (6), February, 2019)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Unit and Museum of History of Medicine, Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Andrea Grignolio

About the 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”.

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