This bestselling immunization handbook evaluates each vaccine for safety, efficacy, and long-term effects. Includes information on all childhood shots, plus anthrax, smallpox, and flu.

A parent's guide to childhood shots.

A parent's guide to childhood shots.

Vaccines are among the most safe and effective public health interventions to prevent serious disease and death. Because of the success of vaccines, most Americans today have no firsthand experience with such devastating illnesses as polio or diphtheria. Health care providers who vaccinate young children follow a schedule prepared by the U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Under the current schedule, children younger than six may receive as many as 24 immunizations by their second birthday. New vaccines undergo rigorous testing prior to receiving FDA approval; however, like all medicines and medical interventions, vaccines carry some risk. Driven largely by concerns about potential side effects, there has been a shift in some parents' attitudes toward the child immunization schedule. The Childhood Immunization Schedule and Safety identifies research approaches, methodologies, and study designs that could address questions about the safety of the current schedule. This report is the most comprehensive examination of the immunization schedule to date. The IOM authoring committee uncovered no evidence of major safety concerns associated with adherence to the childhood immunization schedule. Should signals arise that there may be need for investigation, however, the report offers a framework for conducting safety research using existing or new data collection systems.

Many people sincerely believe that all vaccines are safe, adverse reactions are rare, and no peer-reviewed scientific studies exist showing that vaccines can cause harm. This book -- Miller's Review of Critical Vaccine Studies -- provides the other side of the story that is not commonly told. It contains summaries of 400 important scientific papers to help parents and researchers enhance their understanding of vaccinations. "This book should be required reading for every doctor, medical student and parent. Reading this book will allow you to make better choices when considering vaccination." -- David Brownstein, MD "This book is so precise and exciting in addressing the vaccine controversy that I read it in one evening. I recommend this book to any parent who has questions about vaccines and wants to be factually educated to make informed decisions." -- Gabriel Cousens, MD "Neil Miller's book is a tour de force and a clarion voice championing the cautionary principle: 'When in doubt, minimize risk.' Let's talk science. Read this book. The truth will keep you and your children protected."-- Bradford S. Weeks, MD "Nowhere else can one find such an organized and concise compilation of research on vaccines. Not only does Miller have a deep understanding of science and the issues at hand, he has made this book easy to reference and cite. Truly, there is no other guide out there quite like it. For everyone who contacts me in the future seeking scientific evidence about vaccines, I will recommend Miller's Review of Critical Vaccine Studies." -- Toni Bark, MD, MHEM, LEED AP, previous Director of the pediatric ER at Michael Reese Hospital "Miller's Review of Critical Vaccine Studies is the most comprehensive and coherent accumulation of peer-reviewed research on vaccine issues and natural immunity I have ever come across. A must read for parents, teachers, doctors and other healthcare providers." -- Dr. Tyson Perez, pediatric chiropractor