
MMR and Autism
What Parents Need to Know
Michael Fitzpatrick(Author)
Routledge (Publisher)
1st Edition
Published on 17. June 2004
Book
Hardback
232 pages
978-0-415-32178-5 (ISBN)
Description
The MMR controversy has been characterized by two one-sided discourses. In the medical world, the weight of opinion is overwhelmingly in favour of MMR. In the public world, the anti-MMR campaign has a much greater influence, centred on the fears of parents that the triple vaccine may cause autism in their children. Both professionals and parents struggle to cope with the anxieties this creates, but find it difficult to find a balanced account of the issues.
In MMR and Autism Michael Fitzpatrick, a general practitioner who is also the parent of an autistic child, explains why he believes the anti-MMR campaign is misguided in a way that will reassure parents considering vaccination and also relieve the anxieties of parents of autistic children. At the same time, this informative book provides health care professionals and health studies students with an accessible overview of a contemporary health issue with significant policy implications.
In MMR and Autism Michael Fitzpatrick, a general practitioner who is also the parent of an autistic child, explains why he believes the anti-MMR campaign is misguided in a way that will reassure parents considering vaccination and also relieve the anxieties of parents of autistic children. At the same time, this informative book provides health care professionals and health studies students with an accessible overview of a contemporary health issue with significant policy implications.
Reviews / Votes
'Michael Fitzpatrick splendidly demolishes the argument that MMR causes autism by careful review of the scientific and other evidence. He also provides an insightful review of autism and its management, together with the role of risk aversion in health scares like the MMR. Every health worker, parent, politician and journalist concerned with these issues must read this brilliant book.' - Brent Taylor, Professor of Community Child Health, Royal Free and University College Medical School'Fitzpatrick ... offers a profound and wide-ranging account including politics, philosophy and rationality, science and medicine, the media, the medics, history and autism itself from both sides of the fence and indeed the fence itself. Erudite without obscurity, economical without dryness, I found his book a gripping read - and so did my wife, a non medic.' - Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
'This book is a tour de force. Extensively researched and impeccably argued.' - Health Watch
'Dr Fitzpatrick's book on the MMR affair goes well beyond the affair itself, and casts a searchlight on our society, indeed on our soul.' - Dr Anthony Daniels, Sunday Telegraph
'Michael Fitzpatrick is a general practitioner and also the parent of a child with autism. Fortunately he is also a very good writer and has produced a readable, well-discussed book about the MMR-autism saga. The book is informative, detailed, and accurate.' - International Journal of Epidemiology
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
3 s/w Zeichnungen
3 Line drawings, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 222 mm
Width: 145 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
469 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-415-32178-5 (9780415321785)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
08/2004
Routledge
€52.49
Available for download

E-Book
08/2004
Routledge
€52.49
Available for download

Book
06/2004
1st Edition
Routledge
€60.20
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Michael Fitzpatrick is a general practitioner working in Hackney, London.
Content
1. Introduction: What Parents Need to Know Part 1. How the Risk Society Turned on itsOwn Children 2. The MMR Debacle 3. The Trouble with Vaccines 4. Age of Anxiety Part 2. How Parents Turned Against MMR 5. Parents and Autism 6. Alternative Autism 7. The Campaign Against MMR Part 3. The Problem with Junk Science 8. The Lancet Paper 9. Missing Links 10. The Metamorphosis of Andrew Wakefield 11. Epilogue: What Doctors Need to Do