Combatting Health Misinformation

Scientists often seem to be on the periphery of the medical conversation, with center stage dominated by celebrities, politicians, and activists. Dr. Paul Offit takes on this paradox in his book Bad Advice: Or Why Celebrities, Politicians, and Activists Aren’t Your Best Source of Health Information. He focuses on the debate surrounding vaccines in order to reveal how misinformation put forth by highly vocal non-experts drowns out the scientific community—ultimately leading to grave consequences. Dr. Paul Offit, MD, is a prominent physician and co-inventor of rotavirus vaccine, a vaccine that saves hundreds of thousands of lives each year. He is also the director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a professor of vaccinology and pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine. You can learn more about him at his website.