State of Immunity: The Politics of Vaccination in Twentieth-Century America

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Description

This first comprehensive history of the social and political aspects of vaccination in the USA tells the story of how vaccination became a widely accepted public health measure over the course of the twentieth century. One hundred years ago, just a handful of vaccines existed, and only one, for smallpox, used to be widely used. As of late more than two dozen vaccines are in use, fourteen of which are universally really helpful for children. State of Immunity examines the strategies that health officials have used—ranging from advertising and public relations campaigns to laws requiring children to be immunized before they are able to attend school—to gain public acceptance of vaccines. Like any medical intervention, vaccination carries a small risk of adverse reactions. But unlike other procedures, it’s performed on healthy people, most often children, and has been mandated by law. Vaccination thus poses unique ethical, political, and legal questions.

James Colgrove considers how individual liberty must be balanced against the need to give protection to the common welfare, how experts must act in the face of incomplete or inconsistent scientific information, and how the public must be involved in these decisions. A well-researched, intelligent, and balanced take a look at a timely topic, this book explores these issues through a vivid historical narrative that offers new insights into the past, present, and future of vaccination.

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