Saturday, October 17, 2009

Autism's False Prophets by Paul Offit

Read: 29 May, 2009

Autism's False Prophets is a biography of a controversy. Offit traces the life of the autism-vaccine myth from the first studies conducted by Andrew Wakefield to the latest 'Mommy Warriors' crusade of Jenny McCarthy. Despite his obvious dislike for those who promote this 'manufactroversy' and fear for the children who are affected, Offit adopts a matter-of-fact tone. He covers the facts and dates of the various steps in the story with little subjective injection.

Offit clarifies many of the myths and misinformations surrounding the autism-vaccine scare. His writing style is accessible and interesting. And despite a very weak final line, I could not recommend this book any more highly for all parents and parents-to-be who have heard of the autism-vaccine link and are concerned (or who simply want to make a more informed choice).

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