Bad Advice: Or Why Celebrities, Politicians, and Activists Aren't Your Best Source of Health Information

by Paul A. Offit

Science doesn’t speak for itself. Neck-deep in work that can be messy and confounding, and naïve in the ways of public communication, scientists are often unable to package their insights into the neat narratives that the public requires. Enter the celebrities, the advocates, the lobbyists, and the funders behind them, who take advantage of scientists’ reluctance to provide easy answers, flooding the media with misleading or incorrect claims about health risks. Amid this onslaught of spurious information, Americans are more confused than ever about what’s good for them and what isn’t.In Bad Advice, Paul A. Offit shares hard-earned wisdom on the do’s and don’ts of battling misinformation. For the past twenty years, Offit has been on the front lines in the fight for sound science and public heath. Stepping into the media spotlight as few scientists have done—such as being one of the first to speak out against conspiracy theories linking vaccines to autism—he found himself in the crosshairs of powerful groups intent on promoting pseudoscience. Bad Advice discusses science and its not just the manias stoked by slick charlatans and their miracle cures but also corrosive, dangerous ideologies such as Holocaust and climate-change denial. Written with wit and passion, Offit’s often humorous guide to taking on quack experts and self-appointed activists is a must-read for any American disturbed by the recent uptick in politicized attacks on science.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Medical, Medicine, Health, Audiobook, Psychology

272 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 19, 2018

About the author

Paul A. Offit, MD is the Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and the Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Offit is also the Maurice R. Hilleman Professor of Vaccinology, and a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He is a recipient of many awards including the J. Edmund Bradley Prize for Excellence in Pediatrics bestowed by the University of Maryland Medical School, the Young Investigator Award in Vaccine Development from the Infectious Disease Society of America, and a Research Career Development Award from the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Paul A. Offit has published more than 130 papers in medical and scientific journals in the areas of rotavirus-specific immune responses and vaccine safety. He is also the co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine, RotaTeq, recently recommended for universal use in infants by the CDC; for this achievement Dr. Offit received the Gold Medal from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Jonas Salk Medal from the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

Dr Paul Offit was also a member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is the author of multiple books.

from www.paul-offit.com

Reviews

[JPDB23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️…

Despite the excellent information and knowledge about the subject, Dr. Offit seems to continue his views on anti vaccine protestors. He has written a separate book for that, and I do not believe it needs to be extended here with the input of a few celebrities or even politicians. A fish is a fish (mom says to my dad about aquariums)… you either believe in vaccines or you don’t. The stories were insightful, but I am disappointed, and I was expecting more.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Very informative and personal, with a lot of well-timed and -placed self-deprecating humor, Dr. Offit's book was a simultaneously entertaining and educating for a non-science person. (The numerous Philadelphia references also didn't hurt, since I'm a southeast PA native.) It was a sort of bittersweet fun - keeping in mind the serious 'big picture' that medications / vaccinations are meant to prevent serious harm or death in the young, after all - to have him deflate theories / arguments put forth by the trio of the title. His chapter near the conclusion - explaining how he received his calling as a physician - was quietly illuminating. I'm now interested in checking out his other books.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This rating/review is based on an ARC I received from my job at the library.

Good, but definitely not as strong as Do You Believe in Magic?: The Sense and Nonsense of Alternative Medicine. My ARC has lots of flags of interesting information, and a few for some other issues I had*. There was one chapter in particular that was particularly compelling. Dr. Offit addresses reasons for science denial and anti-science thinking and addresses point by point why those modes of thought are harmful and counterintuitive.

Generally I feel like Dr. Offit could take a page from the Mary Roach school of footnotes. This book doesn't have any, but I felt that chunks of the text would be better served if they weren't actually part of the body text. Things like his terrible jokes, asides about the individuals he worked with, and anecdotes about his kids would fit well as a note at the bottom of the page and, in my opinion, would be more fun and endearing if I can opt-in.

Overall a good read, but I would read Do You Believe in Magic? first.


*I feel like this book could have benefited from a sensitivity read re: disability. There were a few instances where, when talking about autism, the tone was clinical, negative, and didn't refute the idea that living autism is impossible and children are doomed. A sentence after quoting [I can't even type her name she makes me furious] about how the "light went out of her son's eyes" to discredit that idea would be great. There are a bunch of #ActuallyAutistic people on twitter who are regular ass people living their lives (a good follow is Morénike Giwa Onaiwu). Living with a disability in a ableist society isn't easy, but disability makes you who you are. You don't need to say that it's going to be easy, but just say that it's possible.

[Rennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but not my fave of his so far. It strayed off topic a bit. Nevertheless, every topic he covers is an important one and I so love his message of the importance of scientists easing into the role of being “science communicators” - so to better help us non-sciencey types understand their research and developments. And he’s one of the best at this I know - he has a conversational writing style that packs so much information in and never is hard to follow. (I can’t emphasize how impressive that is when my tendency is to automatically shut down when I can’t follow this kind of topic.) and truly, I’m so sorry to learn about the abuse, threats, insults, and vitriol he’s received in many forms for his work on vaccines and science advocacy in general. What a messed up world this is.

Anyway, book is still great, very educational, probably preached to the choir (sigh) but as he writes himself, you’re just not going to change the minds of people who are so set in their beliefs like many antivax science deniers are. I wish it would’ve gone a little more into why people are so willing to believe celebrities with no background in these areas over medical professionals and scientists, more than that scientists aren’t really good at explaining their work and and it’s complicated to do and they don’t like doing it, but for what it is it’s still good.

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Paul Offit. This book is a little more personal than others of his I've read. He talks about the verbal abuse, threatening emails, and death threats he receives from anti-vaxxers on a regular basis. He talks about the humiliations he's suffered during TV interviews. And, most importantly, he talks about why he became a pediatrician and why he continues to advocate for children despite all of the abuse and attempts to discredit him. I highly recommend any and all of his books.
"I'm not a pro-vaccine cheerleader, I'm a pro-science advocate, wherever the science lies."

[Marya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once more, Paul Offit offers another book to preach to choir. I liked his anecdotes, and I did learn a thing or two, but this tone is still not calibrated for anyone other than a fervent believer of what he preaches. I really sympathize with his rage, but right now, screaming at people to "grow up" and stop believing in magic doesn't seem like a winning strategy. Offit himself realizes this is a problem and is working on it. Maybe the next book will get it perfect.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was balanced and informative for the most part. It’s easy to get lost in science jargon or your own research, but he kept me well engaged for the most part. How science is (mis)represented in the media is such an important and fascinating thing to write a book on. I’m glad I read it and would read more of his work in future.

Personally I found it a little condescending and self-important at times… but maybe just me.

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm historically a huge fan of Offit's work and consider Autism's False Prophets and Deadly Choices among my favorite books. Perhaps I had unrealistic expectations for this one and didn't read the synopsis closely enough; but rather than an in depth scientific review, this book was much more anecdotal and recycled. For instance, on chapter relies very heavily on transcripts from The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, and Last Week Tonight (all shows I love, but I had already viewed all of the examples cited). Another basically reviewed the plots of two epidemic based movies. Finally, there was extensive writing on Andrew Wakefield in the final third of the book. Wakefield is a name that instantly increases my blood pressure, but Offit has been there done that. The entire book also relies heavily on Offit's own short stories or opinions on current events/pop-culture/politics, rather than solid facts on scientific/medical cases.

All that said, there are some interesting new tidbits (ex. Natural Rubella in the first trimester of pregnancy is a cause of autism, so MMR actual helps prevent one form of autism) and Offit provides good evidence for the scientific claims within his pages.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give this book 5 stars for its message, which I think is critical; and for author Dr. Paul Offit's courage to speak the truth at personal cost.
We live in bizarre times, when celebrity talk-show hosts have greater credibility with some folks than Nobel laureates, and a reality TV star can be elected president. Dr. Offit's is a voice of sanity. As the book jacket states, "For the past twenty years, Offit has been on the front lines in the fight for sound science and public heath. Stepping into the media spotlight as few scientists have done..."
The book itself is about 3.5-4 stars. Writing is okay but it's a little repetitive and at times loud. But Offit is honest about his foibles and is trying hard to paint an accurate and complete picture of public health and the criticality of vaccinations. I recommend this book.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of good info in here but I can’t get past how pompous Paul Offit is. Every other paragraph he finds a way to weave in “while I was conducting research at Stanford...” or “when I was asked to speak on 60 Minutes.” It’s like reading his CV.

[Harriet Huestis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is more about Dr Offit's journey as a communicator and public scientist than the bad health advice of celebrities and politicians(though that is there too).

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times a bit pedantic but mostly a very good and compelling look at how scientists are up against a rock and a hard place by the very constraints of their jobs. By not being allowed to say they are certain, they look wishy washy. Additionally, by not giving scientists training in media, they end up sounding…pedantic and elitist.

Some very good ideas here about how to deal with this situation: expand our idea of what science is, make comments that don’t only rely on sound bites, give media training and better coverage to science, and educate the masses about science!

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! This is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to be an advocate for science. It was also really entertaining! Bravo, Dr. Offit!

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A VACCINOLOGIST WRITES PERSUASIVELY AGAINST THE ANTI-VAXX MOVEMENT

Author and professor of Vaccinology Paul A. Offit wrote in the Prologue to this 2018 book, “Since my Fox interview, I’ve written books about vaccines, antibiotics, alternative medicine, dietary supplements, megavitamins, faith healing, and scientific discoveries gone awry… I never would have predicted … that I had inadvertently put myself in the crosshairs of powerful political forces intent on defeating science: an unholy alliance working against the health of Americans… I’ve received ... hate mail… death threats, and been threatened with three lawsuits… My hope is that by reading this book, people will learn from my journey through the obstacle course of the current culture… we don’t always make the best decisions for our health and the health of our children. This failure to appreciate how culture shapes knowledge will only cause more needless suffering and death---now and for generations to come.” (Pg. xiii-xiv)

He explains, “When scientists formulate a hypothesis, it’s always framed in the negative; this is known as the null hypothesis. When communicating science to the public, the null hypothesis can be a problem… Suppose you want to know whether the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine causes autism… scientists … can only say that one thing is associated with another at a certain level of statistical probability. Also, scientists can never ACCEPT the null hypothesis… they can NEVER prove never… When trying to reassure people that a particular health scare is ill founded, the scientific method can handcuff scientists.” (Pg. 13)

He acknowledges, “I struggled mightily with the thimerosal issue when speaking with the media. I would say things like, ‘Babies are receiving much greater quantities of mercury from breast milk or infant formula than from vaccines.’ This wasn’t particularly reassuring… In the end, thimerosal was removed as a preservative from virtually all vaccines given to young children, and, because single-dose vials replaced multi-dose vials, the costs of vaccines increased, with no benefit.” (Pg. 17)

He recounts, “In 2013, nine Princeton University students were infected with the same strain of meningococcus… Many news outlets covered the Princeton story. One was NBC 10 in Philadelphia… One person interviewed for the story was Dr. Sherri Tenpenny… Why did NBC 10 pick Sheri Tenpenny to educate its viewer? Tenpenny had never published a single paper about vaccines in a respected…journal… she had no specific expertise on the subject. Furthermore, if the producers at NBC 10 had looked a little closer, they would have realized that Sheri Tenpenny had previously espoused some pretty wacky ideas… to Sheri Tenpenny, the killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School weren’t caused by Adam Lanza’s mental illness … they were caused by the vaccines that Lanza had received as an infant.” (Pg. 31-32)

He explains, “the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP)… was established in 1986 as part of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act. At the time, vaccines were under siege… Vaccine Court has a low standard of proof. All a plaintiff must do is (1) show that a vaccine was given shortly before the harm occurred; and (2) propose a mechanism by which the injury could have happened. Also, experts who testify on behalf of plaintiffs in Vaccine Court don’t have to prove that they’re experts. Almost anyone can claim to be an expert. Although the government… does get a chance to respond, if you can’t win in Vaccine Court, you’ll have a hard time winning in civil court.” (Pg. 34-35)

He states, “Sometimes people tell me that after doing their research, they’ve decided not to get the chicken pox … vaccine. What they mean by ‘research’ is that they’re read other people’s opinions about the vaccine on the internet. That’s not research. If someone really wants to research the varicella vaccine, they should read the seven hundred papers that have been published on the subject. To do this, they would need to have a working knowledge of virology, immunology… epidemiology… and clinical medicine. Most people don’t have this expertise. In fact, most doctors don’t have it. Instead, doctors turn to advisory bodies, like those that report to the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Collectively, these advisory groups do have that expertise… The current culture, however, does not support the notion that we should trust our experts. Today, many people believe they can know just as much as any expert by Googling topics on the internet or visiting chat rooms. The good news is that people can become much better consumers by reading articles from reliable websites. The bad news is… It’s also painfully easy to be fully misinformed.” (Pg. 44-45)

He observes, “parents make bad choices based on bad information that has caused far too many children to suffer. And it’s all perfectly legal. If parents don’t want to vaccinate their children, all they have to do is claim that they have a religious reason (forty-seven states have religious exemptions for vaccinations) or a philosophical reason (seventeen states have philosophical exemptions)… the simple truth is that running through the heart of American jurisprudence is a libertarian streak that is wide and deep, especially in the family realm. We simply don’t like to tell parents how to raise their children.” (Pg. 115-116)

He critiques Andrew Wakefield: “To explain how the MMR vaccine caused autism, Andrew Wakefield had proposed a series of series of implausible events---none of which were supported in his Lancelet paper. First, Wakefield claimed that by combining the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines into a single shot, children’s immune systems had been overwhelmed… when Wakefield published his paper, skin and blood tests to determine immune dysfunction were readily available. Wakefield either didn’t do these tests or didn’t report the results. Second, Wakefield claimed … the measles vaccine virus had … damaged the intestines… Wakefield… didn’t test those samples for measles vaccine proteins… Third, Wakefield claimed that children with autism were unable to rid themselves of gluten and casein. To prove it, all he had to do was test the blood and spinal fluids… Finally, when… Wakefield published his paper in 1998, about one of every two thousand children in England was diagnosed with autism… at that time, about 90 percent of children in England were receiving the MMR vaccine… one would have expected that statistically every year, about three hundred children would have developed autism… Since he issued his challenge, seventeen studies … have examined the incidence of autism in hundreds of thousands of children who either did or didn’t receive the MMR vaccine. All of these studies found the same thing: The MMR vaccine hadn’t caused autism.” (Pg. 133-134)

He continues, “Spurred by the revelations of an investigative journalist named Brian Deer, officials from the General Medical Council (GMC) in London took a closer look at Wakefield’s research… the GMC found that Wakefield had (1) received … $630,000 in fees plus … $5660 in expenses through personal injury lawyers … suing pharmaceutical companies for damages caused by the MMR vaccine; (2) misled the Lancet… creating the impression that children had been chosen randomly when in fact several were part of a lawsuit… (4) taken blood from children who had attended his young son’s birthday party… GMC officials banned him from ever practicing medicine in England again… twelve years after Wakefield had published his paper, the Lancet retracted it. The official retraction was supported by ten of Wakefield’s twelve coauthors… No one… took Andrew Wakefield to task more than … the editor of the British Medical Journal. ‘Who perpetrated this fraud?’ she wrote. ‘There is no doubt that it was Wakefield.’” (Pg. 136-137)

He recounts, “anti-vaccine activists … do everything they can to discourage me from speaking out… I’ve also been sued. My guess is that the purpose of the lawsuits isn’t to win; it’s to get me to spend my time and money---and mostly to get me to shut up… Another strategy used by anti-science activists is harassment. I’ve been stalked, grabbed, shouted at, and received some pretty harrowing phone calls. The goal of these attacks is to get me to react---to do or say something that will discredit me… Then there are the death threats… Sadly, all of these tactics of intimidation have forced a number of good scientists to the sidelines.” (Pg. 164-177)

He says, “Given the level of anger that I seem to evoke, friends and coworkers have asked me why I persist in trying to educate the public about vaccines…. I give two answers… I do it because every year children suffer and die from vaccine preventable diseases, invariably because their parents had chosen not to vaccinate them… But I think the real answer lies somewhere else… I think it might have something to do with seeing myself in all of these children… I’m not a psychiatrist. Maybe I just hate to see the bad guys win.” (Pg. 198-199)

This book will be “must reading” for anyone studying the vaccine/autism controversy.

[Doninaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The subtitle of this book is “Why celebrities, politicians, and activists aren’t your best source of health information.” I was expecting the book to address this question, but it did so unevenly. Author Paul Offit is a medical doctor whose background is research. He provides valuable educational material. But, he also gives the impression of a dedicated professional who was affected by his tangles with anti-vaccine activists, and who used this book to rectify himself.

So, although many health issues need attention, Offit zeroes in on his area of expertise: vaccines, with emphasis on the Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine. Other topics such as genetically modified organisms (GMOs), gluten intolerance, and overdosing with dietary supplements are dealt with less thoroughly. Worse, Offit veers into descriptions of his personal confrontations with anti-vaccine forces. He elaborates on the frustration of trying to work through the media. For me, this peripheral attention diminishes Offit’s presentation of health issues.

The book’s balance seems inconsistent. For example, he expounds on his testimony before a congressional hearing on vaccines and autism. And, he devotes a full chapter to the career of Andrew Wakefield, a discredited activist. I relished the educational parts of the book, while skipping sections featuring personalities.

Yet, Offit understands science, and he enlightens readers with a basic explanation of the scientific method and statistical concepts. For example, I appreciated being reminded about statistical probabilities, and how scientists can “never prove never.” I liked Offit’s comparison of two movies that contrasted the handling of uncontrollable epidemics. He explained how one film reflected a realistic approach, while the other was “Hollywood.”

Offit’s book is valuable in explaining how extreme “true believers” can be; and how their decisions’ outcomes, such as with vaccine avoidance, can be harmful. He illustrates that popularity is not a substitute for knowledge. And, he makes the point that misguided individuals, opportunists, hucksters, and frauds roam the scene. But, a single glimpse at late night TV could confirm that. I was looking to learn.

[Eric Shaffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul Offit makes me laugh. Relax, I'm not going to marry him or anything, but I will be looking into his many other books.

This book is filled with anecdotes that illuminate much history about incidents and circumstances I've read about in other books and articles, providing a depth of field that makes the information richer and more meaningful.

I especially enjoyed Paul's presentation of the nasty case of Andrew Wakefield, whose claim that the MMR vaccine causes autism (absolute bullshit), shoddy research (manipulated data and illegally or unethically obtained samples) and outright grift (as head of an organization that continues to push his lies, even after having his medical license revoked) have resulted in the sickness and deaths of many children. Paul's summary of Wakefield is worth the whole book, but the other information makes the book a multiply rewarding read. I particularly enjoyed the mixture of biography and science throughout the book.

Feel free to educate yourself on the efficacy and safety of vaccines with this book and others easily available to you when you are "doing your research." Then, for the sake of your children's lives, apply the reason and logic, and vaccinate them. May you all live long and prosper.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to this audiobook for a bookclub with the Network of the National Library of Medicine. I was interested in the book, and I appreciated the book group discussion with a mix of academic and special library staff. The book turned out to be disappointing by itself, though.

There was good information in the book, and it certainly has the capacity to prompt reflection and discussion. (One thing that I think gets left out of vaccine arguments is: The anti-vax platform is erroneously framed as a choice between the chance of an autistic/gluten-intolerant/"damaged" child and well child; the choice is between a live child and dead child. This wasn't included, and I think it's a disservice to omit it.) The medical information is unlikely to sway anyone with a set opinion, but it was useful for me to have an overview of the history so far.

There are some comments about believability, but why we believe celebrities isn't actually the focus of the book. There are some small sections that made me think about "truthiness" and could be useful as a gateway to discussions on information literacy, but I was expecting more psychological research about trust and public persona, and that is absent.

Readers have to do a bit of work, though, to find these useful nuggets. Despite the broader subtitle, the majority of the book is dedicated to vaccines (totally makes sense, given the author's background! Write what you know. But probably be honest about the content, is all.). The book is also a litany of those in the media who have wronged him-- the author tells a lot of stories about appearances in which interviewers weren't forthcoming about their angle, or about other media people and celebrities who have picked on him. I think the tone is often trying for self-deprecating-- the author assumed good intentions on the part of the interviewer and was wrong, or didn't understand the power dynamic of testifying in this hearing-- but it makes the book feel unfocused.

I listened to the audiobook. The narrator is fine; the only parts that weren't narrated well would be hard to narrate anyway: the author includes a lot of very long lists of names throughout the book. By the time we got to the end of a list, I forgot the purpose of this list that includes actors, politicians, athletes, and personalities.

[Emily Samuels · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Despite the title, it was actually full of good advice when it comes to how science gets communicated. Never would have thought scientists are used for political gain as much I thought, but it makes sense. As a woman with asd, it relieves me to know the true origins of the anti-vaccine groups and the fraud behind it. I liked the points on climate change and evolution. I would have liked to learn a bit more about why vaccine would appear to cause autism but I believe the cause still needs more research. Overall a good read.

Some quotes I liked:

"Decisions about risk are limited by the availibilty of information."-(imo: bounded rationality)

"Doctors who give you answers are supposedly the only ones that care."

"When the law is on your side, argue the law. When the facts are on your side, argue the facts. When neither are on your side, attack the witness"

"What is objectionable, what is dangerous about extremists, is not that they are extreme, but that they are intolerant. The evil is not what they say about their cause, but what they say about their opponents."-Robert Kennedy

Old saying: "A Republican is a Democrat who has been mugged, and a Democrat is a Republic who has been indicted."

"The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn. Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work, and then they get elected and prove it."-P. J. O'Rouke (Parliament of Whores)

"Narcissus does not fall in love with his reflection because it is beautiful, but because it is his. If it were his beauty that entralled him, he would be set free in a few years by its fading."-W.H. Auden

"You can sway a thousand men by appealing to their prejudices quicker than you can convice one man by logic."-Robert Heinlain

"I learn by going where I have to go"-Theodore Roethke

"We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology"-Carl Sagan

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

95% of the book is Offit, who I usually find to be very informative and knowledgeable, interesting even, is he defending his research, vaccines, what he was thinking, or the embarrassing mistakes he made during congressional meetings, media interviews, etc., how to better argue against those who are anti-vaxxers, through microhistory moments and copious amount of personal anecdotes (like jokes his kids, wife, or parents made about his social media and televised appearances).

I thought the book would be more about how celebrities mislead the public about health and well-being. It does, sort of, in passing while Offit railroads on through about his stance on vaccines, their use, and how he has fought back against the flawed system to defend them. As someone with 2 biotech degrees, I'm not arguing his points. But he seems so fueled and pissed about how misrepresented he was in many of these situations, Offit felt compelled to write a tell-all complaint book, letting us know what he should have said or what he really meant. Um, ok. While I get why he would feel this way, I don't need an 8+ hour audiobook about it. I want to hear about the science and celebrity faux pas, not what Offit should have said while being interviewed by Matt Lauer that one time, which is no longer relevant.

Oh, and Offit makes it glaringly clear how vehemently he hates Andrew Wakefield.

[Anna Hendrickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars: I will tell you - I did enjoy this book though I should have done more research on the substance of it before reading. Despite the title, the majority of the book revolves around speaking to and advocating for vaccines. I had thought this could have the potential to dive into the influencer skinny teas and the like - but upon realizing this was published much earlier than influencers may have existed, these topics were not discussed. Offit also uses this platform to talk through previous TV interviews that he’s spoken on and how he would re-do them if he had the chance (I didn’t find these pieces particularly interesting but I understand the need on his behalf to explain these).

I agree with the majority of the information within this book, and it’s digestible enough that I would share this with any anti-vaxx friends I have the unfortunate pleasure of knowing. I also find the misinformation piece he speaks to, incredibly relevant today as the U.S. continues to mix up science with fiction. However, I think Offit should have titled this book more appropriately, and been more poignant and less personal when it comes to the information that was outlined.

[Bren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very informative and thus a worthwhile read. It's 211 pages and I finished it in 4 days which speaks to it's readability (and amount of pages). For me to so quickly finish a science book is evidence that it was indeed meant for the lay person such as myself. The author writes clearly and with a good sense of humor which is a nice touch when speaking of what can at times be an ugly topic.

He does however spend too much time talking about himself. Much of this undoubtedly has to do with the fact that he knows more about his own experiences than those of other vaccine defenders. But sometimes it came across as the greatest hits of Paul Offit's many televised interviews, talks, debates etc. And towards the end of the book he gets pretty heavy into the "woe is me" sentiment for all of the hate mails, threats etc he has been confronted with. And while he deserves pity for what these people have done to him, it took away from what the book was supposed to be about.

Bottom line; Good and informative book but could have accomplished its alleged goal (subtitle) in about 40 less pages.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 41/50 for 2019 (Honestly I'll get one more in, but I think 41/42 is more accurate for the year). This is my favourite science and immunization book of the year, but anything by Dr. Offit always lands high up on my reading list. My only regret with Bad Choices is that I should have read it when it was released last year.
Dr. Offit's Bad Choices is written with a witty, humourous style that empowers science advocates to continue speaking up. We are steadily getting ahead against the tide of vaccine misinformation that's sparked fear and vaccine denial/delay for far too many children. As an immunization and science advocate I thought Dr. Offit's book offered a lot of practical information I could use to help continue supporting parents in making science informed choices to immunize their children.

[Ivan Kreimer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Paul Offit. For the last month, I've read two of this books and loved them dearly. Bad Advice seemed to be another great book—I've been interested in the role of "authority figures" in health. As a copywriter who works in the health industry, and a cynic one at that, I wanted to see how celebrities, politicians, and activists influenced people's health decisions.

Sadly, this book wasn't about that. It was about Offit's personal experiences being a sort-of media guy himself. He talks about how some celebrities didn't like it when he confronted them about their beliefs on the role of vaccination and autism—how the former causes the latter.

The book seemed like a journal of some sorts, like a memoir, instead of a factual book where he educates people, like he does in "Do You Believe In Magic?" and "Pandora's Lab".

I couldn't finish it; I just didn't care enough.

[Joe Pav · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were a few chapters that I think hit the main message of bad advice home. The prominent example of one former physician and their role in the anti-MMR vaccine movement was the best example of when bad “advice”/pseudo medicine/fraud can have damaging real-life consequences. While there were a few moments where I thought it was really being layered on this figure, it was very much deserved since the figure spent the better part of 20 years pushing fraudulent claims about a sound science that has prevented many deaths. Offit’s touch of humor at points and insight to where he went wrong on presenting himself and his stances is a learning lesson as myself begin a path in medicine. I appreciated the lessons learned and will incorporate them into my decisional making.

[Simeon Stoyanov · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will speak from the stand point of a person who doesn't have an education in the medical filed.
I found the book easy to understand and to read.
On one hand it shows the many personal struggles of a physician trying to educate the public regarding medicine, vaccines and science. On the other hand it tackles issues such as how scientist are presented by the media, the way the public views them and also how they interact.
There are interesting concepts about how celebrities voice their opinion and may (or may not) mislead the general population into something that isn't correct.
My biggest takeaway from the book would be to simply look at the data. There are constant studies being done and if we need to make an informed decision we should simply look at the numbers and results.

[Mckenzee Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was unexpectedly great. Offit is knowledgable in his subject area but writes in a way that is accessible, humorous, and engaging. He doesn't assume that the reader is an expert in medical science or public health, but he doesn't assume that they're stupid or clueless either. I found the overall message of the book (that scientists, while not the most charismatic or engaging public messengers, are often the most necessary voices when dealing with issues in their field) compelling, and although the book is a bit old, it doesn't feel dated (an occupational hazard for books written on "current events"). Overall, Offit's book is one of the better pieces of nonfiction I have read recently, and I would recommend. 4.5 stars rounded up.

[Renee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was OK, but it was focused specifically on vaccines which was not really what I had expected. Basically it is a super-informative overview of the fight against misinformation about vaccines, which I'm not against to begin with, so it didn't really get me fired up. Some fun anecdotes about the author's role in fighting science-deniers and the current (insane) anti-science movement. I already know Gwen Paltrow and Dr. Oz are money-grubbing idiots -- but if you aren't aware of that then this book may be a quick and informative read for you.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have written about people’s beliefs that vaccines cause autism in classes so I knew a lot of the background with the Wakefield study and why parents believe vaccines cause autism but it was interesting to get a doctors perspective on that matter and learn from someone who has been involved with vaccine creation. Some parts of this book did get a bit repetitive, especially at the end but it was still very interesting and I liked hearing about some of his stories fighting against vaccine denial and I liked hearing some more background on this conspiracy theory.

[Craig Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

“…standing naked in the middle of a cow pasture in Iowa.”
Personal anecdotes and events abound in Dr. Offit’s most recent book supporting good science and defending solid immunological research and application to which he has endeavored over his career to maintain.

Quite well written and informative. Entertaining yet educational.

Disclaimer: I purchased my copy at CSICon2018 at which Dr. Offit presented on his research and the state of public discourse regarding vaccinations, and was able to have it signed by the author.
>> See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Offit

[Mitchell Gronowitz]

A very timely read when RFK Jr is about to become the next Health and Human Services Secretary. Trumps administration's anti-science stance might be the most detrimental policy shift over the next 4 years. I still cannot believe in 2025, there is still any debate about the safety of vaccines and the billions of lives they've saved. Paul Offit does a fantastic job explaining the history of the anti-vaccine movement, the irrationality behind it and ways to counter disinformation. An interesting read if you're curious to learn more.