It looks as though Dr. Paul Offit is finally going to the head of the beast by taking on Dr. Robert Sears' "alternate" vaccine schedule as detailed in "The Vaccine Book." In a harshly worded review of the Sears book, Offit apparently makes the argument that the alternative vaccine schedule for infants and toddlers is flawed, misguided, and puts children at significant risk of preventable diseases. Wow, and I thought the fireworks weren't until New Years Eve.
WebMD got to the key players in a well-done piece you can find here. The most entertaining part of the article is watching Dr. Bob try to have it both ways as a pediatrician interested in increasing immunization rates while simultaneously pandering to the base that buys his books. Talk about a dilemma.
I have been digging for the original article but I suspect that it’s embargoed and due for public consumption with the release of the January issue of Pediatrics. More when I get my hands on it.
January 5, 2009: For more check out Offit vs. Sears - Anti-Vaccine Media Bias