The Vaccine Age: Science and Reason Confronting the Threats of Medical Progress

A captivating journey through the past, present and future of vaccines. Vaccination is undoubtedly the greatest public health achievement in history, but the disappearance of many diseases has also led to an increased focus on the side effects of vaccines and the emergence of the anti-vaccination movement. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed anti-vaccination sentiment into the mainstream — including some leaders in the medical profession — in an explosion of pseudoscience and misinformation, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. In her book, "The Age of Vaccines," world-renowned epidemiologist Raina McIntyre examines the history of vaccines and how they work, their safety and public policies, cutting-edge technologies, and amazing new developments in vaccines to fight cancer and other chronic diseases. At a critical time when vaccination rates are declining globally, MacIntyre argues that science must regain its footing, or we will lose centuries of gains that vaccines have brought to the world. Vaccines helped us out of the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, but instead of a victory, we are now seeing a surge in anti-vaccine claims overshadowing public health policies. Raina McIntyre highlights the history of vaccines, and laments that some medical professionals are among those promoting anti-vaccine myths. This important book documents where opposition to vaccination is leading the world, and how science can regain its central place. \- Laura Tingle, writer and journalist. “For the first time in human history, we have the scientific knowledge to vaccinate against most of the infectious diseases that claimed the lives of our ancestors. The Age of Vaccines takes us on a journey through exciting developments in the use of vaccines to protect against non-communicable risks such as cancer and heart disease. McIntyre shows how these developments are met with a growing distrust of science in general, and of vaccines in particular.” Written by one of the world's leading biosecurity experts, this book tells the story of how vaccines changed the public health landscape, and suggests what we can do to restore public confidence in their effectiveness and safety. \- Professor Trish Greenhaugh, OBE, University of Oxford