Can We Get Rid of Measles Once and for All?
My brother, who is six years older than I am, has a scar where his smallpox vaccine was administered when he was a child. I…
Autism’s Professor Harold Hill
It's hard to talk about vaccines or autism without mentioning the sometime gastroenterologist, Andrew Wakefield. Almost everyone has at least a passing familiarity with Wakefield,…
Measles in Minnesota
Yesterday afternoon, the Minnesota Department of Health reported that 60 people (mostly children) in four counties across the state. This measles outbreak is the worst…
What’s up with All These Outbreaks?
A few months ago, I came across an article claiming that we can blame the anti-vaccine movement for the mumps cases popping up in college…
Being the Odd Mom Out in a Low Vax Community
As my child turns two this year, I’m looking back at some of the earlier memories I have of motherhood. During pregnancy, I recall one…
How Effective Are Childhood Vaccines?
Modern vaccines are very effective. But nothing is 100% effective. As people know, children can – sadly – be harmed in a car accident even…
I Vaccinate My Kids Because I Wish My Parents Had Vaccinated Me
My name is Grace. I was raised in a cult. There are a lot of things wrong with being raised in a cult— religious brainwashing,…
Facts and Talk: My Response to Vaccine Fears
In 2009, I turned in my pipettes and decided to pursue a career outside of the laboratory. I was living in Boulder, Colorado, and had…
Vaccines and Autism: One Doctor’s Personal Story
There has been a lot of talk since 1998 as to whether vaccines cause autism. Though I have been loath to enter this conversation, it…
When Private Choices Affect Public Health
Editor's Note: A longer version of this piece originally appeared on Loura's private blog. Several years ago, my state outlawed public smoking. As a non-smoker concerned with…
