Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Anti/Vax: an attempt to clear up the controversial vaccination debate


Anti/Vax: Reframing the Vaccination Controversy by Bernice L. Hausman is an attempt to make sense of the wild debate around vaccinations. Ms. Hausman is very honest about her attempts to present both sides with honest examination of the issues and she tries her best to stay neutral. She presents a lot of information, both scientific and anecdotal. No vaccine is 100% safe, just like nothing in medicine is 100% safe or effective. Even over the counter medicines has side effects and warnings. Vaccination concerns have been around as long as there have been vaccinations. “Anti-vaxxers” are nothing new, they are just more visible now due to social media and the speed at which information is shared. Ms. Hausman presents a brief history of vaccination concerns since the 1980s. In the 1980s, there were 7 vaccines for: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella and polio. By the end of the 1990s, it had ballooned to 16 different diseases including hepatitis B and varicella (chicken pox). She also explores the current feelings toward vaccinations are not just are they safe but the implications of government overreach in our personal lives and choices.


Anti/Vax is a wealth of information which is beneficial for bother pro-vaxxers and anti-vaxxers to read. It presents the good and bad side of vaccines and the various reasons why there are skeptics. I have learned it is okay to be skeptical of the vaccines; however, we need to do our due diligence in seeking information before making our decisions to vaccinate ourselves and our children. There is so much information available that we cannot and should not blindly follow a doctor’s recommendations as well we cannot completely dismiss those recommendations. My only issue with Ms. Hausman’s books is sometimes she takes away too long to link information she is presenting to the topic at hand and she often repeats herself to assure the reader she is not taking sides. However, I highly recommend reading Anti/Vax. It may help clarify the vaccination debate and help you in your decisions about your overall health, not just vaccinations.

Anti/Vax
is available in hardcover and eBook

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