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Worth a Shot?: Secrets of the Clinical Trial Participant Who Inspired a Global Movement—Brianne Dressen's Story
Community-minded Utah mom and preschool teacher Brianne Dressen wanted to play her part in helping to end the pandemic that shut down the world in 2020. What better way than to roll up her sleeves and participate in a clinical trial for the eagerly anticipated Covid vaccines? But something went terribly, terribly wrong.
Part memoir, part medical mystery, part social commentary, Worth a Shot? tells the true story of what happened to Brianne’s body, mind, and spirit as she found herself embroiled in a medical, political, and cultural nightmare that had been looming over America for decades. This compelling page-turner reveals how Brianne uncovers unsettling truths about the dark side of the pharmaceutical industry, leading her to question its control not just over doctors and drug trials, but also over free speech and the federal government.
Worth a Shot? chronicles Brianne’s journey as she discovers the intricate web of systemic failures that affect the health of millions worldwide, and unwittingly becomes a global advocate for a cause that nobody wants to believe exists. As she bravely battles the far-reaching influence of giant corporations, readers will be touched by the surprising allies who come to her aid, and the unexpected friendships made along the way.
Worth a Shot? is a beautifully written and inspirational real-life account that will leave you questioning your own worldview. So much more than a whistleblower’s story, this book ultimately serves as a poignant reminder of the power of the human spirit as it fights to emerge from adversity with love . . . love for oneself, love for one’s community, and love for one's country.
(All proceeds from the sale of Worth a Shot? will be donated to React19 and UKCVFamily.)
Part memoir, part medical mystery, part social commentary, Worth a Shot? tells the true story of what happened to Brianne’s body, mind, and spirit as she found herself embroiled in a medical, political, and cultural nightmare that had been looming over America for decades. This compelling page-turner reveals how Brianne uncovers unsettling truths about the dark side of the pharmaceutical industry, leading her to question its control not just over doctors and drug trials, but also over free speech and the federal government.
Worth a Shot? chronicles Brianne’s journey as she discovers the intricate web of systemic failures that affect the health of millions worldwide, and unwittingly becomes a global advocate for a cause that nobody wants to believe exists. As she bravely battles the far-reaching influence of giant corporations, readers will be touched by the surprising allies who come to her aid, and the unexpected friendships made along the way.
Worth a Shot? is a beautifully written and inspirational real-life account that will leave you questioning your own worldview. So much more than a whistleblower’s story, this book ultimately serves as a poignant reminder of the power of the human spirit as it fights to emerge from adversity with love . . . love for oneself, love for one’s community, and love for one's country.
(All proceeds from the sale of Worth a Shot? will be donated to React19 and UKCVFamily.)
- GenresHealth
279 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 26, 2024
About the author
Caroline Pover
15 books5 followersBorn in 1971, Caroline Pover grew up mainly in Plymouth in the south-west of England, where she dreamed of two things … becoming a primary school teacher, and writing books. She attended Exeter University, and graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Mathematics and Education, and a Dean’s Commendation for the quality of her written work. Following graduation she worked as a primary school teacher in the school she actually attended as a child, before a desire for adventure got the better of her and she headed off to Tokyo in 1996.
Caroline taught at an alternative Japanese high school, where — having developed an interest in girls’ and women’s education at university — she was thrilled to be teaching predominantly teenage girls. Teaching by day, Caroline launched a magazine to support foreign women living in Japan, which led to her writing her first book, “Being A Broad in Japan: Everything a Western woman needs to survive and thrive,” released in 2001, and based on interviews she conducted with over 200 foreign women.
While suffering a series of strokes in 2006 and 2007, Caroline was convinced that she’d never be able to write again, but nonetheless, wrote her second book, the “Guide to International Schools in Japan,” released in 2008 and updated in 2014 (Japanese edition released 2013). She also wrote a bilingual book for Japanese women, entitled “Ask Caroline,” released in 2010, answering the many interesting questions that Japanese women often ask of their Western counterparts. The book is often used in private and group language lessons where the students are predominantly female Japanese.
Caroline was on Saipan when the March 11th earthquake and tsunami struck Japan in 2011, writing “Love with a Western Woman: a guide for Japanese men,” (English paperback and Kindle released 2012, Japanese paperback released 2013, Japanese Kindle released 2020) and subsequently prioritised supporting the survivors over her writing and publishing career.
She spent the first few years after the tsunami sharing her time between the UK and Japan, gathering support for Oshika hanto, a remote fishing community in the northeast of Japan. She eventually settled in The Cotswolds, where she took a break from writing books and established Auntie Caroline’s — a pickled onion and chutney business supplying around 70 independent shops around the UK. But still returned to Oshika every year, having raised almost £170,000 for Oshika and managed over thirty different community-led projects to assist with the recovery. She blogged throughout every trip to Oshika, determined that people shouldn’t forget the survivors in this remote little peninsula.
In early 2020, Caroline reconnected with her book-writing self and turned that almost ten-year blog into her fifth book and first memoir, to be released in August 2020, entitled “One Month in Tohoku: An Englishwoman’s Memoir on Life after the Japanese Tsunami.“
Caroline has been the recipient of a number of awards over the years, including Plymouth’s Top Ten Women of the Year, Japan-British Society Award for Contributions to Japanese-UK Relations, International Women's Day Outstanding Service Award, British Business Award for Best Entrepreneur, FEW Award for Contributions to the Foreign Women's Community in Japan, and Body Confidence Awards Nominee for "I Love My Bum" TED Talk.
She still lives in The Cotswolds, but returns “home” to Japan every year.
Caroline taught at an alternative Japanese high school, where — having developed an interest in girls’ and women’s education at university — she was thrilled to be teaching predominantly teenage girls. Teaching by day, Caroline launched a magazine to support foreign women living in Japan, which led to her writing her first book, “Being A Broad in Japan: Everything a Western woman needs to survive and thrive,” released in 2001, and based on interviews she conducted with over 200 foreign women.
While suffering a series of strokes in 2006 and 2007, Caroline was convinced that she’d never be able to write again, but nonetheless, wrote her second book, the “Guide to International Schools in Japan,” released in 2008 and updated in 2014 (Japanese edition released 2013). She also wrote a bilingual book for Japanese women, entitled “Ask Caroline,” released in 2010, answering the many interesting questions that Japanese women often ask of their Western counterparts. The book is often used in private and group language lessons where the students are predominantly female Japanese.
Caroline was on Saipan when the March 11th earthquake and tsunami struck Japan in 2011, writing “Love with a Western Woman: a guide for Japanese men,” (English paperback and Kindle released 2012, Japanese paperback released 2013, Japanese Kindle released 2020) and subsequently prioritised supporting the survivors over her writing and publishing career.
She spent the first few years after the tsunami sharing her time between the UK and Japan, gathering support for Oshika hanto, a remote fishing community in the northeast of Japan. She eventually settled in The Cotswolds, where she took a break from writing books and established Auntie Caroline’s — a pickled onion and chutney business supplying around 70 independent shops around the UK. But still returned to Oshika every year, having raised almost £170,000 for Oshika and managed over thirty different community-led projects to assist with the recovery. She blogged throughout every trip to Oshika, determined that people shouldn’t forget the survivors in this remote little peninsula.
In early 2020, Caroline reconnected with her book-writing self and turned that almost ten-year blog into her fifth book and first memoir, to be released in August 2020, entitled “One Month in Tohoku: An Englishwoman’s Memoir on Life after the Japanese Tsunami.“
Caroline has been the recipient of a number of awards over the years, including Plymouth’s Top Ten Women of the Year, Japan-British Society Award for Contributions to Japanese-UK Relations, International Women's Day Outstanding Service Award, British Business Award for Best Entrepreneur, FEW Award for Contributions to the Foreign Women's Community in Japan, and Body Confidence Awards Nominee for "I Love My Bum" TED Talk.
She still lives in The Cotswolds, but returns “home” to Japan every year.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 7, 2025
Compelling and Emotional
I typically read on my Kindle, but something about this book compelled me to purchase the hard copy. As someone who has also been affected by vaccine injury, I found myself connecting deeply with Bri's experience. My heart goes out to her—and to everyone who has been injured in this way.
Reading this book brought out a wide range of emotions in me: sadness, shock, anger, and even hope, to name just a few. Bri's story (and others) are a stark reminder of the tremendous suffering that many have endured after following recommendations in good faith. The ongoing censorship, denying the existence of injured individuals or labelling them in harmful ways, is truly appalling.
This is a must-read for anyone—whether you're injured, uninjured, pro-vaccine, or not. It offers a piercing look into the corruption that pervades multiple levels of society and healthcare.
A heartfelt thank you to Bri for bravely sharing your story. And thank you to Caroline for your engaging writing style, which kept me captivated from start to finish.
I typically read on my Kindle, but something about this book compelled me to purchase the hard copy. As someone who has also been affected by vaccine injury, I found myself connecting deeply with Bri's experience. My heart goes out to her—and to everyone who has been injured in this way.
Reading this book brought out a wide range of emotions in me: sadness, shock, anger, and even hope, to name just a few. Bri's story (and others) are a stark reminder of the tremendous suffering that many have endured after following recommendations in good faith. The ongoing censorship, denying the existence of injured individuals or labelling them in harmful ways, is truly appalling.
This is a must-read for anyone—whether you're injured, uninjured, pro-vaccine, or not. It offers a piercing look into the corruption that pervades multiple levels of society and healthcare.
A heartfelt thank you to Bri for bravely sharing your story. And thank you to Caroline for your engaging writing style, which kept me captivated from start to finish.
December 3, 2024
This book is quite shocking to read. I can't say anything else without swearing. Everyone needs to read this book.
March 14, 2025
Well written account from Brianne's perspective of her experience in the drug trial of the experimental MRNA jabs. Elucidating the importance of being responsible and accountable in our own lives, asking questions about what we think we know, why we believe it to be so and who do we really want to put our trust in when it comes to any decision in our lives, esp. medically!
A very open, honest and sad account as it highlights some of the struggles of Bri as she tried so hard to understand the active betrayal and cya she was experiencing as her life & health were ripped away from her. She abruptly experienced first hand that we were not truly 'all in this together'. Brianne then realized the need to actively advocate for herself as well as the vast amount of others who were also injured by the experimental shots.
The injured were all gaslight, abandoned, & denied proper medical care including much needed moral & social support, 'because we weren't allowed to exist'- as Bri stated. These hundreds of thousands of people that had been injured by the warp speed jabs weren't allowed to be heard. Their existence didn't fit what was being repeated by the media of this vaccine being the only way out of the pandemic, esp. as the mandates came down. Statistically now it's known by those who cared to look, that the injury rate for participating in the experiment is 1 in 800. Though the media often repeated that injuries were rare & the effects transient, that repetition did not make it true.
She so humbly shares her point of view, as it shifted by her own life experiences over these past 5 years, and those who she heard, helped & supported.
Worth the read!
A very open, honest and sad account as it highlights some of the struggles of Bri as she tried so hard to understand the active betrayal and cya she was experiencing as her life & health were ripped away from her. She abruptly experienced first hand that we were not truly 'all in this together'. Brianne then realized the need to actively advocate for herself as well as the vast amount of others who were also injured by the experimental shots.
The injured were all gaslight, abandoned, & denied proper medical care including much needed moral & social support, 'because we weren't allowed to exist'- as Bri stated. These hundreds of thousands of people that had been injured by the warp speed jabs weren't allowed to be heard. Their existence didn't fit what was being repeated by the media of this vaccine being the only way out of the pandemic, esp. as the mandates came down. Statistically now it's known by those who cared to look, that the injury rate for participating in the experiment is 1 in 800. Though the media often repeated that injuries were rare & the effects transient, that repetition did not make it true.
She so humbly shares her point of view, as it shifted by her own life experiences over these past 5 years, and those who she heard, helped & supported.
Worth the read!
March 21, 2025
Brianne Dressen is my hero!
I was injured by the Covid vaccines, to the degree that it made me "disabled", not quite as bad as what Brianne Dressen has been through. I mean, I was struggling for oxygen and blacking out/seeing stars every day, among many other things, and that was pretty bad for several months, but what she had was more devastating in some ways. While I struggled to function, she started a global movement!
I can't properly communicate how momentous it is that this person traveled around and did public speaking engagements in her condition. To describe it as a form of torture would maybe be a start.
I will support her React19 organization for the rest of my days. I have experienced a modicum of the censorship described in this book, which kept me from my friends; Links and messages automatically disappearing on social media, being "shadow banned", etc.
Those of us who were injured by the Covid vaccines get to see our friends and family continue to "drink the Kool Aid" and buy into this pernicious bullshit that continues to be promoted on every media outlet in the world, despite the fact that it will lead to the deaths of countless innocent children. It can be very difficult, to say the least.
As we have now seen from FOIA data retrieved in court, and testimony under oath, the clinical trials for these Covid vaccines were an absolute abomination across the board. Pharmaceutical companies who used the PREP Act to abuse safety regulations even more than usual, need to be tried for WAR CRIMES, as they further poisoned THE ENTIRE WORLD.
I have not read anything else by Caroline Pover, who also claims she was injured by the Covid vaccines, as I recall, but I was fairly impressed. Only two typos within the whole book, and it's exceptionally well-written in terms of flow. The balance between context and hard facts is there. As a biography or a memoir, "Worth A Shot" is thoughtfully and thoroughly executed.
I thought the author was astute without being preachy, which I feel is probably difficult to pull off. Ultimately, it is hard to say that history will favor the truth, or that the truth will eventually come out to the masses, but this memoir a delicate walk through some extremely harsh truths that most people balk at without further investigation.
Highly recommended.
I was injured by the Covid vaccines, to the degree that it made me "disabled", not quite as bad as what Brianne Dressen has been through. I mean, I was struggling for oxygen and blacking out/seeing stars every day, among many other things, and that was pretty bad for several months, but what she had was more devastating in some ways. While I struggled to function, she started a global movement!
I can't properly communicate how momentous it is that this person traveled around and did public speaking engagements in her condition. To describe it as a form of torture would maybe be a start.
I will support her React19 organization for the rest of my days. I have experienced a modicum of the censorship described in this book, which kept me from my friends; Links and messages automatically disappearing on social media, being "shadow banned", etc.
Those of us who were injured by the Covid vaccines get to see our friends and family continue to "drink the Kool Aid" and buy into this pernicious bullshit that continues to be promoted on every media outlet in the world, despite the fact that it will lead to the deaths of countless innocent children. It can be very difficult, to say the least.
As we have now seen from FOIA data retrieved in court, and testimony under oath, the clinical trials for these Covid vaccines were an absolute abomination across the board. Pharmaceutical companies who used the PREP Act to abuse safety regulations even more than usual, need to be tried for WAR CRIMES, as they further poisoned THE ENTIRE WORLD.
I have not read anything else by Caroline Pover, who also claims she was injured by the Covid vaccines, as I recall, but I was fairly impressed. Only two typos within the whole book, and it's exceptionally well-written in terms of flow. The balance between context and hard facts is there. As a biography or a memoir, "Worth A Shot" is thoughtfully and thoroughly executed.
I thought the author was astute without being preachy, which I feel is probably difficult to pull off. Ultimately, it is hard to say that history will favor the truth, or that the truth will eventually come out to the masses, but this memoir a delicate walk through some extremely harsh truths that most people balk at without further investigation.
Highly recommended.
January 9, 2025
This was an exceptionally well written account by Caroline Pover that tackles the very disturbing aspects of the events surrounding, preceding and following Brianne Dressen's catastrophic vaccine injury and that of countless others worldwide. In the book's forward, in Brianne's own words, this particular statement for me, cut to the core of what continues to be an incredibly frustrating reality: "People are resolute in what they think the 'truth' really is."
Ms. Pover does a superb job of laying out the circumstances of what led Brianne to participate in a vaccine trial to begin with, her steadfast belief that the entities who were behind the trials had her health in their best interest and the tragic unravelling of those beliefs and realization of the massive efforts made to protect everything but those who were injured.
This is truly a gutting read and yet I sincerely hope there are more open minds than those 'resolutes' that have yet to see what the truth truly is.
It should be noted that all proceeds from the sale of the book are going to help the vaccine injured.
Ms. Pover does a superb job of laying out the circumstances of what led Brianne to participate in a vaccine trial to begin with, her steadfast belief that the entities who were behind the trials had her health in their best interest and the tragic unravelling of those beliefs and realization of the massive efforts made to protect everything but those who were injured.
This is truly a gutting read and yet I sincerely hope there are more open minds than those 'resolutes' that have yet to see what the truth truly is.
It should be noted that all proceeds from the sale of the book are going to help the vaccine injured.
December 16, 2024
I hope this book gets the recognition it deserves, and that it stands the test of time in shedding light on this most important subject, and what it means for us all. It was well written, and for someone like me that struggled with nonfiction, the fact that I couldn't put it down says a lot. Bri's story is both anger-inducing and inspiring, and I'm so grateful to her, her family, and everyone that decided to share their stories in this book.
September 30, 2025
I am absolutely disgusted with how these people were treated by our government officials, Astra Zeneca, etc. when dealing with their adverse reactions! So glad this book is out to tell other people about what she and the rest experienced.
August 9, 2026
This book just about sent me down my own depressive rabbit hole again. I could see all this horror before it unfolded. And did I wish to be wrong! Yes, so much. Inducing depression is very definitely NOT the intention of the author and Brianne. I gave it fife stars for making sad statistics personal. We don't even know what these statistics really are. I'd LIKE to know. From where I've been watching, there are a HUGE numbers of vaccine injured, INCLUDING many women unable to either conceive or carry to term babies. So much increase in that, and even were people admit there were injuries, that one often gets forgotten, the sharply increased infertility. I had no job to lose for saying "No thanks" to the jabbing, so not much consequence. Other than being hated by everyone. And locked out of society, and considered insane. And I have to admit, there was resentment in me against people that let their children be part of the test run. But they certainly don't need reminding from strangers that maybe their action was unwise. Especially when the child got ill.
So, the book is very readable (other than the truly harrowing topic as such) good print, good use of capitals and Italics. Good print size and paper. Not to short or too long. I wish I could get everyone to read it.
I was a bit miffed when there is an anonymous attack on some well known figures that were part of the Washington rally. I'm asking myself: who? I followed all that and admired ALL the people speaking out. So who is being attacked here? The author made it sound like the group trying to raise awareness were almost teeming with vain self-glorious people. . Really? Not in my experience. The others were the aggressors, every time. In the last pages she calls for conversation and love. Yes, I agree. But WE WERE RIGHT, mostly, and the jab pushers were wrong. And they tried to force us. With everything inside and outside the book. There needs to be some reckoning before it can all be hokey dory.
So, the book is very readable (other than the truly harrowing topic as such) good print, good use of capitals and Italics. Good print size and paper. Not to short or too long. I wish I could get everyone to read it.
I was a bit miffed when there is an anonymous attack on some well known figures that were part of the Washington rally. I'm asking myself: who? I followed all that and admired ALL the people speaking out. So who is being attacked here? The author made it sound like the group trying to raise awareness were almost teeming with vain self-glorious people. . Really? Not in my experience. The others were the aggressors, every time. In the last pages she calls for conversation and love. Yes, I agree. But WE WERE RIGHT, mostly, and the jab pushers were wrong. And they tried to force us. With everything inside and outside the book. There needs to be some reckoning before it can all be hokey dory.
November 6, 2025
Disappointing and Misleading Framing of a Complex Issue
While I respect the author’s right to share her personal experience, Worth a Shot ultimately does more harm than good by amplifying rare vaccine injury cases in a way that risks misleading readers. Vaccine injuries, though real, are extremely rare. Public health data consistently shows that vaccines are overwhelmingly safe and effective, and framing isolated incidents as representative of broader trends can fuel fear and misinformation.
The book leans heavily into a narrative that borders on sensationalism, which is especially troubling in an era where conspiracy theories about vaccines are already rampant and causing real-world harm. This isn’t about silencing personal stories—it’s about recognizing the responsibility that comes with publishing content that could influence public trust in science and medicine.
Science isn’t emotional gaslighting. It’s evidence-based, peer-reviewed, and grounded in decades of research. While Brianne’s story may be sincere, the way it’s presented feels more like an attempt to provoke than to inform. The broader public deserves accurate, contextualized information—not dramatized anecdotes that could undermine public health efforts.
While I respect the author’s right to share her personal experience, Worth a Shot ultimately does more harm than good by amplifying rare vaccine injury cases in a way that risks misleading readers. Vaccine injuries, though real, are extremely rare. Public health data consistently shows that vaccines are overwhelmingly safe and effective, and framing isolated incidents as representative of broader trends can fuel fear and misinformation.
The book leans heavily into a narrative that borders on sensationalism, which is especially troubling in an era where conspiracy theories about vaccines are already rampant and causing real-world harm. This isn’t about silencing personal stories—it’s about recognizing the responsibility that comes with publishing content that could influence public trust in science and medicine.
Science isn’t emotional gaslighting. It’s evidence-based, peer-reviewed, and grounded in decades of research. While Brianne’s story may be sincere, the way it’s presented feels more like an attempt to provoke than to inform. The broader public deserves accurate, contextualized information—not dramatized anecdotes that could undermine public health efforts.
September 28, 2025
Heartbreaking and oddly uplifting.
It doesn't matter what side you're on, this book truly comes from a compassionate place.
Medical procedures shouldn't lobby division, destroy friendships, leave injured unsupported or be censored.
The vulnerability captured here is palpable. Definitely read if you're on the fence.
It doesn't matter what side you're on, this book truly comes from a compassionate place.
Medical procedures shouldn't lobby division, destroy friendships, leave injured unsupported or be censored.
The vulnerability captured here is palpable. Definitely read if you're on the fence.
June 24, 2025
This was really a good book and really upsetting how these people were treated. Must read…
June 30, 2025
Wow!
Great true story - I wish I did not get vaccinated but hearing the stories of the injured are unbelievable. The censorship, lack of response & lack of treatment are so scary!
Great true story - I wish I did not get vaccinated but hearing the stories of the injured are unbelievable. The censorship, lack of response & lack of treatment are so scary!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews