The Vaccine Narrative

As new vaccines proliferate, this book asks where our faith in vaccines comes from. For most people, vaccines have become the magic bullets for dealing with dangerous diseases. The continuing quest for new vaccines, including an HIV/AIDS vaccine, despite technical, epidemiological, and social obstacles, suggests the abiding power of this narrative. The author examines four cases that span the twentieth century-diphtheria, rubella, pertussis, and HIV/AIDS. Each case challenges the reader to examine how the values we attribute to vaccines influence their use. - Publisher.