The Panic Virus

The Panic Virus: A True Story of Medicine, Science, and Fear
by Seth Mnookin
Simon & Schuster, 2011. 429 pgs. Nonfiction

This book gives a history of vaccination, an overview of public concerns about vaccination, and descriptions of the people and groups that try to link vaccination and autism. He draws on interviews with parents, public-health advocates, scientists, and anti-vaccine activists to tackle a fundamental question: How do we decide what the truth is?

This is a book that I highly recommend to anyone who wants to know more about public health, vaccinations, or even the psychology behind why people think the way they do. The writing is clear and easy to understand, and the author has obviously thoroughly researched his subject in a comprehensive way. I also liked that he does not just cover the history of this most recent public-health controversy, but he also explores things like the problems with news coverage of scientific studies, how we understand and evaluate information, and what influences the choices we make.

JC