Internationally renowned medical scientist, frequent media
contributor, and autism dad Dr. Peter J. Hotez explains why vaccines do
not cause autism.
In 1994, Peter J. Hotez's nineteen-month-old daughter, Rachel, was
diagnosed with autism. Dr. Hotez, a pediatrician-scientist who develops
vaccines for neglected tropical diseases affecting the world's poorest
people, became troubled by the decades-long rise of the influential
anti-vaccine community and its inescapable narrative around childhood
vaccines and autism.
In Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel's Autism, Hotez draws on his
experiences as a pediatrician, vaccine scientist, and father of an
autistic child. Outlining the arguments on both sides of the debate, he
examines the science that refutes the concerns of the anti-vaccine
movement, debunks current conspiracy theories alleging a cover-up by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and critiques the scientific
community's failure to effectively communicate the facts about vaccines
and autism to the general public, all while sharing his very personal
story of raising a now-adult daughter with autism.
A uniquely authoritative account, this important book persuasively
provides evidence for the genetic basis of autism and illustrates how
the neurodevelopmental pathways of autism are under way before birth.
Dr. Hotez reminds readers of the many victories of vaccines over disease
while warning about the growing dangers of the anti-vaccine movement,
especially in the United States and Europe. Now, with the anti-vaccine
movement reenergized in our COVID-19 era, this book is especially
timely. Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel's Autism is a must-read for
parent groups, child advocates, teachers, health-care providers,
government policymakers, health and science policy experts, and anyone
caring for a family member or friend with autism.
"When Peter Hotez--an erudite, highly trained scientist who is a true
hero for his work in saving the world's poor and downtrodden--shares his
knowledge and clinical insights along with his parental experience, when
his beliefs in the value of what he does are put to the test of a life
guiding his own child's challenges, then you must pay attention. You
should. This book brings to an end the link between autism and
vaccination."--from the foreword by Arthur L. Caplan, NYU School of
Medicine
