Page 14 says enough in two places:
"SIDS causes about 5,000 to 6,000 deaths each year in the United States. Because the disease affects children between 2 and 4 months of age, there is often a temporal relationship between the receipt of a DTP vaccine and SIDS." Notice the authors do not say, "the disease USUALLY affects children between 2 and 4 months," or "MOST OFTEN affects children between 2 and 4 months." They plainly state that it affects (implying that it ONLY affects) children between 2 and 4 months. This is contrary to what we've been hearing from pediatricians and the Back-to-Sleep Campaign for years. SIDS affects children under the age of ONE YEAR. If the authors can't even get this fact right, how can they be trusted for their other facts?

I continue: "there has never been any evidence that such 'bad lots' actually existed." Interesting. I know of a pediatrician who reported a 'bad lot' to VAERS which caused the deaths of 4 or 5 children, all who had received their DTP shot from the same batch.

These authors are in the business of pushing vaccines. There is certainly a strong bias in this book, one that left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

The sole purpose of this book is to convince parents to vaccinate their babies when and how the medical establishment/drug industry wants them to.

My baby girl's pediatrician loaned me this book stating that "it presents both sides of the issues." She mistakenly left inside a form letter from the MERCK VACCINE DIVISION saying that they highly recommend the book for parents to "dispel all of the misinformation" out there. In my opinion, everyone should proceed with caution when a multi-billion dollar conglomerate gives their stamp of approval on a book.

Don't bother using this book as a reference. It doesn't even tell you about the ingredients (like mercury, formaldehyde and aluminum) contained in vaccines. It truly insulted my intelligence by being so one-sided. There are other books I've read (i.e. The Vaccine Guide, by Randall Neustaedter, OMD) that give both sides of the story.

I just finished reading "Vaccines: What Every Parent Should Know". It was as I suspected; the usual arguments and half truths and snide comments about parents who choose not to vaccinate. I guess what surprised me is they are *still* saying that DPT doesn't cause permanent brain damage or death and there is no such thing as a hot lot! They also say that no one has *ever* died from the hep B vaccine -- I know a man whose 5 week old daughter died within hours after the injection! Everything else is pretty standard partyline fare. They do a neat trick with the references. They don't use footnotes, they just put a list of books in the back that they got their info from. That way you don't know what they are quoting and what they are twisting/making up (unless you are educated in this area). Who's going to take thetime to hunt through 5 books to find a reference? The book will very easily mislead a lot of unsuspecting, trusting parents. However, a couple of statements are so ludicrous it seems like anyone with a brain will figure it out. But parents looking for reassurance that vaccination is safe/effective will find it here. It's a good book to have on hand just to know what a pediatrican is likely to hit you with when you go in for a check-up or to use in a debate with uneducated friends and family when they question your informed choice not to vaccinate (or selectively vaccinate.)

While the credentials of the authors are good, do not be misled. This is not the objective scientific book I was hoping for. It is no better than the worst of the reactionary anti-vaccine books. It makes statements about the absence of side-effects which are clearly untrue. After reading many scientific papers and the excellent IMMUNIZATION by Kassianos, I opted to get Hib and DPT. However, my biggest misgivings were not from the vaccine opponents but by the blatent falsehoods in WHAT EVERY PARENT SHOULD KNOW (e.g., Hib vaccines have no serious side-effects-- p61-- BALONEY-- seizures are possible -- Kassianos p. 80). The book is riddled with errors that exaggerate vaccine safety.I think my choice to get Hib and DPT was probably good, but this political piece masquerading as an objective book did nothing to help me in my decision. The medical literature is clear that the long-term side-effects of vaccines, if any, are unknown. The authors pretend this is not true, presumably to "protect" us. Why would I be reading up on this if I wanted to be protected from information? This book is a waste of paper.

If, as a parent, you had ever questioned the necessity of vaccinating your children, this book will certainly help settle any fears, and help you make decisions appropriate for your child. Contrary to some opposing views here, this book does not merely promote administering vaccinations, it is a book not afraid to give you the facts and histories of the diseases we can safely prevent our children, and our children's children, from acquiring.

Remember, the reason some unvaccinated children can walk safely around, is due to the choices of the parents who did trust in the research, efficiency and safety of these vaccines.

Not vaccinating, is opting to take the unnecessary risk.

Thank you, Drs. Offit and Bell, for keeping all children safe.