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Follow the Science
The respected independent journalist and New York Times bestselling author of Stonewalled and Smeared exposes the corruption that has ruled the pharmaceutical industry for decades. Through blatant lies, deep cover-ups, and high-level collusion with government and media, Big Pharma has continuously put profits over people. Now, with her signature investigative rigor and uncompromising commitment to the truth, Sharyl Attkisson takes readers on a journey through the dark underbelly of the pharmaceutical industry. Despite growing skepticism over the past three decades over high prices and a lack of innovation, Big Pharma’s critics have often been silenced or labeled “science deniers.” Even major media stories have been suppressed to placate pharmaceutical advertisers. The rift has only grown since the major pharmaceutical companies and their allies attacked anyone worried about the Covid-19 vaccines and major new treatments failed to significantly affect outcomes despite skyrocketing costs. Follow the Science will challenge your assumptions, open your eyes, and inspire you to take action. With its powerful message of truth and justice, this book is a must-read for anyone who cares about the future of our healthcare system.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published September 3, 2024
245 people are currently reading
986 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
October 4, 2024
It’s been a long time since I reviewed a book that I gave up on. I always figure that I just won’t waste my time. It’s also extremely rare that I stop reading a book by someone I disagree with. I typically finish it just so I can better understand the viewpoint so I can engage in better discussions with the opposition or just “know the enemy” better. But I had to stop this book because it was not only ridiculous, but it was dangerous in a way that I’m not a fan of. Worst of all, this book baits you in by making you think it’s going to be a sane, rational book.
A book like this is tricky to gauge by the title and description. As a recovering pill addict, I’m extremely skeptical of doctors and Big Pharma, but I also understand that not all doctors and not all medications are bad. When grabbing a book like this, you don’t know if the reader is going to give you a realistic view of the topic and explain how people like the Sackler family are monsters or if it’s going to get into some insane anti-vax stuff.
I’d never heard of the author, so I wasn’t sure which way it’d go. After looking at her previous books, she seemed like she panders to the right a bit, but I still decided to give the book a try. I was concerned about it being an anti-vax book, but I was pleasantly surprised…at first.
The book starts rational enough. It made some really good points about Big Pharma, doctors, how medications are researched and all that. It was really good information, so I figured maybe I was wrong about her. There was somewhat of a green flag when she discussed the Tuskegee experiments, but unsurprisingly, she used this simply as a way to start spouting insanity.
At one point early in the book, the first red flag popped up when she dove into some anti-trans rhetoric. She legitimately talked about how much money, power, and influence LGBTQ organizations have over the government, and I audibly laughed out loud. She made it sound like The Trevor Project has more influence over Washington than companies like Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson.
Then, she goes full anti-vax. Not just COVID anti-vax, either. She dives head first into “vaccines cause autism” terrotory, which has been debunked for years. What really set me off about this book was when she played the victim. She says something along the lines of, “When I write about worker’s rights, I’m pro-worker. But when I write about the dangers of vaccines causing autism, I’m labeled as anti-vax”, and that was a big fat YIKES for me.
After the brief glimpse of sanity early on in the book, it starts getting into chapter after chapter of anti-vax nonsense. It’s a long book, too. Not only did I stop reading it because it was long and I knew it’d be torture, but books like this are extremely dangerous. Psychologically, people assume a long book discussing “the dangers of vaccines” makes it more credible, but in reality, it just gives you more BS to fact check.
This is going to be a book people point to as “evidence” about the dangers of vaccines and God knows what else, so I figured I’d do my due diligence to let you know how awful it was.
A book like this is tricky to gauge by the title and description. As a recovering pill addict, I’m extremely skeptical of doctors and Big Pharma, but I also understand that not all doctors and not all medications are bad. When grabbing a book like this, you don’t know if the reader is going to give you a realistic view of the topic and explain how people like the Sackler family are monsters or if it’s going to get into some insane anti-vax stuff.
I’d never heard of the author, so I wasn’t sure which way it’d go. After looking at her previous books, she seemed like she panders to the right a bit, but I still decided to give the book a try. I was concerned about it being an anti-vax book, but I was pleasantly surprised…at first.
The book starts rational enough. It made some really good points about Big Pharma, doctors, how medications are researched and all that. It was really good information, so I figured maybe I was wrong about her. There was somewhat of a green flag when she discussed the Tuskegee experiments, but unsurprisingly, she used this simply as a way to start spouting insanity.
At one point early in the book, the first red flag popped up when she dove into some anti-trans rhetoric. She legitimately talked about how much money, power, and influence LGBTQ organizations have over the government, and I audibly laughed out loud. She made it sound like The Trevor Project has more influence over Washington than companies like Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson.
Then, she goes full anti-vax. Not just COVID anti-vax, either. She dives head first into “vaccines cause autism” terrotory, which has been debunked for years. What really set me off about this book was when she played the victim. She says something along the lines of, “When I write about worker’s rights, I’m pro-worker. But when I write about the dangers of vaccines causing autism, I’m labeled as anti-vax”, and that was a big fat YIKES for me.
After the brief glimpse of sanity early on in the book, it starts getting into chapter after chapter of anti-vax nonsense. It’s a long book, too. Not only did I stop reading it because it was long and I knew it’d be torture, but books like this are extremely dangerous. Psychologically, people assume a long book discussing “the dangers of vaccines” makes it more credible, but in reality, it just gives you more BS to fact check.
This is going to be a book people point to as “evidence” about the dangers of vaccines and God knows what else, so I figured I’d do my due diligence to let you know how awful it was.
October 28, 2024
citing "posts on the internet" and RFK Jr. as sources does not greatly add to her credibility. Also I did not know that Robert de Niro had a background in science or pharmacology. Other cited sources include Elon Musk, Joe Rogan and Andrew Tate of all people. Lastly what "non violent Jan 6th 2021 attendees" have to do with science is beyond me.
September 4, 2024
Was Sharyls best book yet.
I initially thought this book would be full of information about what happened during Covid, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn about the pharmaceutical industry and its connections to media.
The sources cited in the audiobook are accurate, and after researching them online, I became aware of how little Americans know about the severely limited government oversight in the Pharma and marketing industry.
I found the Audible recording to be very well done, and Sharyl's voice sounds great.
I'm amazed at the extensive research she put into this book, and I listened to the whole thing in one sitting.
I suggest that anyone who wants to know more about health and how we are heavily influenced by media and the pharmaceutical industry in such a covert manner would do themselves a favor by reading this book.
I initially thought this book would be full of information about what happened during Covid, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn about the pharmaceutical industry and its connections to media.
The sources cited in the audiobook are accurate, and after researching them online, I became aware of how little Americans know about the severely limited government oversight in the Pharma and marketing industry.
I found the Audible recording to be very well done, and Sharyl's voice sounds great.
I'm amazed at the extensive research she put into this book, and I listened to the whole thing in one sitting.
I suggest that anyone who wants to know more about health and how we are heavily influenced by media and the pharmaceutical industry in such a covert manner would do themselves a favor by reading this book.
December 30, 2024
It started strong with actual science but it devolves into a weird anti-vax screed and bragging about the author’s interactions with “Bob” DeNiro. I had to walk away. I don’t believe vaccines are all wonderful but when you start citing celebrity support as proof of your claims, that’s a bad sign.
November 27, 2024
I was excited to read a book about vaccinations, my fingers crossed that the data was reliable and truthful. Of course, that was quickly shut down. This author rambles on about old people dying in the nursing home and blaming it on the COVID vaccine (maybe they’re just old?). She also is devout that autism is related to vaccinations. A couple times she mentions, “I’m not against vaccinations, I have mine!” But then goes on and on about how vaccinations are bad for you, etc. Honestly I was so confused the entire time. She is a right winged extremist with no basis for her thoughts other than, “RFK Jr. said it on a podcast!” Dude, RFK has a worm in his brain. We need better sources than someone who’s never worked a day in the medical field.
November 7, 2024
The worst thing about being a conspiracy theorist is being an outdated conspiracy theorist.
Very little science more like follow the money with political spin.
Very little science more like follow the money with political spin.
January 8, 2025
Book seems to be a well documented expose into the many conflicts of interest between the pharmaceutical companies and the Government. For example, while there is evidence that natural immunity to COVID kicks in, the Government requires everyone to get vaccinated. It sells a lot of (potentially dangerous), but may not provide any benefit to those who have already been sick. So a very useful read.
HOWEVER, Attkisson also lists sources to get the unvarnished truth, and some of them may in fact be useful. When you see an anti-Semitic conspiracist on the list or see Tucker Carlson on the list, it diminishes my trust in her work.
HOWEVER, Attkisson also lists sources to get the unvarnished truth, and some of them may in fact be useful. When you see an anti-Semitic conspiracist on the list or see Tucker Carlson on the list, it diminishes my trust in her work.
December 4, 2024
Most folks trust physicians. Maybe folks get a second opinion, maybe not. If the doctor says to take this prescription, they do. After all, a doctor knows best and has our best interests at heart.
Right?
It's not that your family doctor is necessarily engaged in promoting pharmaceuticals in exchange for an all-expenses paid boondoggle to Bora Bora, although that is a distinct possibility. She may read the research without realizing that the authors may not have written or conducted the study (they are paid to put their names on studies by drug companies), or that the authors were paid to promote a drug or a point of view ("the pharma-government line"). She may also assume that a preponderance of evidence indicates the truth, when it may be that "valid scientific counterpoints or facts are being suppressed" (281). He may believe the attempts to discredit and the ad hominem attacks on scientists whose research counters the information that powerful forces want disseminated. He may not know a host of other issues:
• adverse effects during drug trials are hidden or attributed to pre-existing conditions;
• data is fabricated;
• null results (no effect) are not published;
• the FDA cannot be trusted to conduct thorough testing;
• randomized controlled studies published in peer-reviewed journals;
• drug companies sue researchers and their universities when the results disagree with the desired ones;
• "one-third of studies in neuroscience journals and one-fourth of studies in 'medical journals are made up or plagiarized'" (70).
In the epigraph, Atkisson tells us, "No legitimate scientist ever declared science to be settled." Science is inherently provisional and constantly evolving as new evidence emerges. While some principles are well-supported by overwhelming evidence (e.g., gravity or the link between smoking and cancer), science thrives on continuous questioning, making it more accurate to refer to "current scientific consensus" rather than definitive truth. If everyone understood that, we would strive to become better informed and accept pronouncements as provisional until such time as we learn more. My 92 year-old father understood that, which is why he refused the COVID vaccine.
This week (November, 2024), the FDA Nonprescription Drug Advisory Committee unanimously concluded that phenylephrine, with $1.8 billion in sales annually, is ineffective for treating nasal congestion and works no better than a placebo. I bought it once, when Sudafed added it as the main ingredient in 2006, and found immediately it did not work. That is a minuscule fragment of what is transpiring in this country and what is revealed in Follow the Science.
Old-school journalist Atkisson is always in search of the truth, and does not disappoint here. This is one wild ride that will lead the reader to have a healthy mistrust of physicians, research claims, and the government. This is not a question of "Trust, but verify," because enormous payoffs are involved that prejudice the research. This book is not just about prescription drugs; it's about the links between antiperspirants and cancer, autism and vaccines, and, of course, COVID.
An assortment of Atkisson's findings follows:
• At levels thirty times below what the EPA deemed safe, an agrichemical that entered the drinking water caused hermaphroditism in frogs; it is a hormone disruptor that may influence sex identity, the transgender epidemic we observe in children and youth.
o The trans lobby is funded primarily by Big Pharma. Those who want to pretend to be the opposite sex will rely on dangerous cross-sex hormones for their entire lives to facilitate this fantasy, but there is more: an HIV epidemic among that population. 62% of Black men who pretend to be women are HIV+, a majority. This is a "fantastically lucrative market...earning over $1.5 billion a month" (55). Unsurprisingly, that drug maker, Gilead, is the single biggest known funder of trans activist groups."
• Chapter 6 is all about vaccines and the cover-ups of their damage. For a more extensive read about that topic, see my review of • Chapters 9 through 13 and 15 focus on COVID and the falsehoods promulgated about its treatment and prevention, and "[t]he failure of the COVID vaccines to prevent infection, transmission, symptoms or serious illness" (164). Not only was there no benefit of vaccination to people who already had COVID, people who'd already had COVID were more likely to get COVID again after vaccination...and six time more likely to [suffer] serious side effects" (169).
• In chapter 14, we learn that medical schools are beholden to Big Pharma and "the education of our doctors is dictated by the pharmaceutical industry" (245) and "there are countless additional way in which the scientific profession seamlessly advances the pharmaceutical agenda" (252).
The final chapter outlines some ways to discern the truth in science. If a source challenged a narrative, perhaps regarding COVID in the past, or recants a previously held view, his or her credibility is higher. Some suggested sources are the following: Dr. John Abramson, Brownstone Institute, C-SPAN, Children's Health Defense, Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, Epoch Times, Sharyl Atkisson's own Full Measure on TV and YouTube, and many others. Use reason, logic, and intelligence; educate yourself with a variety of sources.
Instead of Dante's "Abandon hope all ye who enter here," I say, "Take heart all ye who despair." Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and RFK, Jr., et al. are likely to make positive change with the new administration. Do not lose hope, and do not rely on emotion. It is possible to make substantive change. While Atkisson doesn't state this, remember that in the history of the USA, there have been various occasions when the federal government successfully fought powerful corporate interests: the ruling that bankrupted Purdue Pharma, tobacco industry settlements, breakup of Standard Oil and AT&T, the trusts busted by Theodore Roosevelt, and the Sherman and Clayton Antitrust Acts. We can and must lobby for sustained positive change.
Right?
It's not that your family doctor is necessarily engaged in promoting pharmaceuticals in exchange for an all-expenses paid boondoggle to Bora Bora, although that is a distinct possibility. She may read the research without realizing that the authors may not have written or conducted the study (they are paid to put their names on studies by drug companies), or that the authors were paid to promote a drug or a point of view ("the pharma-government line"). She may also assume that a preponderance of evidence indicates the truth, when it may be that "valid scientific counterpoints or facts are being suppressed" (281). He may believe the attempts to discredit and the ad hominem attacks on scientists whose research counters the information that powerful forces want disseminated. He may not know a host of other issues:
• adverse effects during drug trials are hidden or attributed to pre-existing conditions;
• data is fabricated;
• null results (no effect) are not published;
• the FDA cannot be trusted to conduct thorough testing;
• randomized controlled studies published in peer-reviewed journals;
• drug companies sue researchers and their universities when the results disagree with the desired ones;
• "one-third of studies in neuroscience journals and one-fourth of studies in 'medical journals are made up or plagiarized'" (70).
In the epigraph, Atkisson tells us, "No legitimate scientist ever declared science to be settled." Science is inherently provisional and constantly evolving as new evidence emerges. While some principles are well-supported by overwhelming evidence (e.g., gravity or the link between smoking and cancer), science thrives on continuous questioning, making it more accurate to refer to "current scientific consensus" rather than definitive truth. If everyone understood that, we would strive to become better informed and accept pronouncements as provisional until such time as we learn more. My 92 year-old father understood that, which is why he refused the COVID vaccine.
This week (November, 2024), the FDA Nonprescription Drug Advisory Committee unanimously concluded that phenylephrine, with $1.8 billion in sales annually, is ineffective for treating nasal congestion and works no better than a placebo. I bought it once, when Sudafed added it as the main ingredient in 2006, and found immediately it did not work. That is a minuscule fragment of what is transpiring in this country and what is revealed in Follow the Science.
Old-school journalist Atkisson is always in search of the truth, and does not disappoint here. This is one wild ride that will lead the reader to have a healthy mistrust of physicians, research claims, and the government. This is not a question of "Trust, but verify," because enormous payoffs are involved that prejudice the research. This book is not just about prescription drugs; it's about the links between antiperspirants and cancer, autism and vaccines, and, of course, COVID.
An assortment of Atkisson's findings follows:
• At levels thirty times below what the EPA deemed safe, an agrichemical that entered the drinking water caused hermaphroditism in frogs; it is a hormone disruptor that may influence sex identity, the transgender epidemic we observe in children and youth.
o The trans lobby is funded primarily by Big Pharma. Those who want to pretend to be the opposite sex will rely on dangerous cross-sex hormones for their entire lives to facilitate this fantasy, but there is more: an HIV epidemic among that population. 62% of Black men who pretend to be women are HIV+, a majority. This is a "fantastically lucrative market...earning over $1.5 billion a month" (55). Unsurprisingly, that drug maker, Gilead, is the single biggest known funder of trans activist groups."
• Chapter 6 is all about vaccines and the cover-ups of their damage. For a more extensive read about that topic, see my review of • Chapters 9 through 13 and 15 focus on COVID and the falsehoods promulgated about its treatment and prevention, and "[t]he failure of the COVID vaccines to prevent infection, transmission, symptoms or serious illness" (164). Not only was there no benefit of vaccination to people who already had COVID, people who'd already had COVID were more likely to get COVID again after vaccination...and six time more likely to [suffer] serious side effects" (169).
• In chapter 14, we learn that medical schools are beholden to Big Pharma and "the education of our doctors is dictated by the pharmaceutical industry" (245) and "there are countless additional way in which the scientific profession seamlessly advances the pharmaceutical agenda" (252).
The final chapter outlines some ways to discern the truth in science. If a source challenged a narrative, perhaps regarding COVID in the past, or recants a previously held view, his or her credibility is higher. Some suggested sources are the following: Dr. John Abramson, Brownstone Institute, C-SPAN, Children's Health Defense, Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, Epoch Times, Sharyl Atkisson's own Full Measure on TV and YouTube, and many others. Use reason, logic, and intelligence; educate yourself with a variety of sources.
Instead of Dante's "Abandon hope all ye who enter here," I say, "Take heart all ye who despair." Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and RFK, Jr., et al. are likely to make positive change with the new administration. Do not lose hope, and do not rely on emotion. It is possible to make substantive change. While Atkisson doesn't state this, remember that in the history of the USA, there have been various occasions when the federal government successfully fought powerful corporate interests: the ruling that bankrupted Purdue Pharma, tobacco industry settlements, breakup of Standard Oil and AT&T, the trusts busted by Theodore Roosevelt, and the Sherman and Clayton Antitrust Acts. We can and must lobby for sustained positive change.
November 11, 2024
Everyone Should Read
I love the way Atkinson writes and how she explains research and terms. I highly suggest everyone read this book.
I love the way Atkinson writes and how she explains research and terms. I highly suggest everyone read this book.
April 6, 2025
I came across Follow the Science purely by accident—and in some ways, I wish I hadn’t. Not because it’s a bad book (quite the opposite), but because once you see how deeply corrupted and manipulated so-called “evidence-based medicine” can be, you can’t unsee it.
This book is not sensationalist or conspiratorial—it’s meticulous, well-documented, and calm in tone. And yet, the picture it paints of Big Pharma’s influence on clinical trials, journal publications, medical guidelines, and even public health messaging is nothing short of devastating. It made me question things I had trusted blindly for years.
What hit me hardest was the realization that so much of what gets labeled “safe,” “effective,” or “gold standard” is filtered through financial interests. But the most empowering part came at the end: the author provides a list of independent, non-industry-funded resources for people who want to stay informed without corporate spin. That final section alone is worth the price of the book.
If you want comfort, maybe don’t read this. But if you want clarity, truth, and the tools to navigate modern medicine with your eyes wide open—this is essential reading.
This book is not sensationalist or conspiratorial—it’s meticulous, well-documented, and calm in tone. And yet, the picture it paints of Big Pharma’s influence on clinical trials, journal publications, medical guidelines, and even public health messaging is nothing short of devastating. It made me question things I had trusted blindly for years.
What hit me hardest was the realization that so much of what gets labeled “safe,” “effective,” or “gold standard” is filtered through financial interests. But the most empowering part came at the end: the author provides a list of independent, non-industry-funded resources for people who want to stay informed without corporate spin. That final section alone is worth the price of the book.
If you want comfort, maybe don’t read this. But if you want clarity, truth, and the tools to navigate modern medicine with your eyes wide open—this is essential reading.
December 16, 2024
This is an opinion book marketed as “follow the science”. Anti-vax, “the jab” goofiness, vaccines cause Autism theory…It’s not fair or balanced, and completely ignores all that vaccines and medications have done to save and improve our lives. I agree there are more problems than solutions in this area but this book isn’t properly footnoted/referenced, or researched.
May 13, 2025
“Follow the Science” is a fascinating, well written, and very well researched book. I’m not sure I have ever been so angry after reading a book as I was after reading this one.
The corruption within the pharmaceutical industry, the media, and the government is beyond comprehension. It’s all about the money. Almost all politicians accept huge donations from Big Pharma. Big Pharma buys the vast majority of ads on television, so the media has a vested interest in not disclosing any potential problems caused by any drug being advertised. If they were to question the pharmaceutical industry, they could lose a huge amount of ad revenue. So the entire system has been corrupted and there is no checks and balances on Big Pharma, and anyone who dares to speak out about it are smeared, labeled “conspiracy nuts”, and silenced. The whole situation is very scary. Banning tv ads for the pharmaceutical industry would go a long way to help the situation. They are banned in almost every country in the world except the United States.
Attkisson discusses in great detail the potential links between vaccinations and the incredible rise in autism in our country. The number of vaccinations given to our children has risen considerably over the past decades, as has the rate of autism. But vaccines have become the “third rail” of the pharmaceutical industry, so once again, attempts to even consider any link between vaccines and autism is pushed aside and silenced.
Attkisson also discusses at length the incredible level of corruption and mishandling of the Covid-19 situation. From the controversy over the source of the virus, to the suppression of the use of known drugs that could help combat the virus such as hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin, to the push for social distancing, the wearing of masks, and the shutdowns. So much of these practices were proven to be wrong and ineffective. The vaccine was, and continues to be pushed on the American public when it has been proven to not be effective, and has even been extremely harmful, all to make some people very wealthy.
Sharyl Attkisson has won five Emmy Awards and an Edward R. Murrow award for investigative reporting. She is a highly respected journalist who does her homework and does her research. I have a lot of respect for her, and I highly recommend this book. Everyone should read it.
The corruption within the pharmaceutical industry, the media, and the government is beyond comprehension. It’s all about the money. Almost all politicians accept huge donations from Big Pharma. Big Pharma buys the vast majority of ads on television, so the media has a vested interest in not disclosing any potential problems caused by any drug being advertised. If they were to question the pharmaceutical industry, they could lose a huge amount of ad revenue. So the entire system has been corrupted and there is no checks and balances on Big Pharma, and anyone who dares to speak out about it are smeared, labeled “conspiracy nuts”, and silenced. The whole situation is very scary. Banning tv ads for the pharmaceutical industry would go a long way to help the situation. They are banned in almost every country in the world except the United States.
Attkisson discusses in great detail the potential links between vaccinations and the incredible rise in autism in our country. The number of vaccinations given to our children has risen considerably over the past decades, as has the rate of autism. But vaccines have become the “third rail” of the pharmaceutical industry, so once again, attempts to even consider any link between vaccines and autism is pushed aside and silenced.
Attkisson also discusses at length the incredible level of corruption and mishandling of the Covid-19 situation. From the controversy over the source of the virus, to the suppression of the use of known drugs that could help combat the virus such as hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin, to the push for social distancing, the wearing of masks, and the shutdowns. So much of these practices were proven to be wrong and ineffective. The vaccine was, and continues to be pushed on the American public when it has been proven to not be effective, and has even been extremely harmful, all to make some people very wealthy.
Sharyl Attkisson has won five Emmy Awards and an Edward R. Murrow award for investigative reporting. She is a highly respected journalist who does her homework and does her research. I have a lot of respect for her, and I highly recommend this book. Everyone should read it.
November 21, 2024
I’m rating this book 4 stars for readability, but recommend everyone read it. Especially if you have children. I have been traditionally very accepting of the healthcare profession and our governmental health authorities (like the CDC and NIH) but this book was very unsettling and has me questioning much of what the health industry has been telling us. I was interested in the book title after being upset lately with all the drug advertisements on TV. This book addresses that topic and makes me even more disgusted with all those ads. Author Sharyl Attkison is likely referred to as a “quack” or “anti- vaccine” or a “conspiracy theorist” but I will never again trust those labels. She provides a very compelling case for rejecting a lot of what most of us have been told (and believed) throughout the COVID epidemic- including it’s origins and the science behind vaccines. Especially troubling is her research and conclusions on the need and effects of certain vaccines on healthy children. I am left a bit stunned and distrustful. Not a good feeling, but thanks Sharyl for this book and making me question authority once again.
October 31, 2024
Sharyl Attkisson's "Follow the Science" exposes significant issues in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly focusing on how corporate interests and government policies often shape health-related information, sometimes at the cost of transparency and public trust. Attkisson argues that flawed systems and unrestrained corporate power are reshaping public health in ways that may undermine medical integrity, putting profits before patient welfare. Chronic diseases and mental health issues continue to surge, yet policy makers appear more focused on protecting pharmaceutical giants than genuinely addressing health concerns. She suggests that skepticism is now not only warranted but essential to understanding these complex dynamics.
Following the 9/11 attacks, bioterrorism fears led to aggressive vaccine initiatives, including a smallpox vaccination program. This well-intentioned effort to protect the population from bioterrorism risks brought unintended consequences. Adverse reactions, such as heart inflammation, underscored the need for careful oversight. NBC journalist David Bloom’s untimely death raised awareness of these risks, but insufficient reporting may have left many similar cases unaddressed. Public health responses to bioterrorism reveal gaps in transparency and raise ethical concerns regarding informed consent, a recurring theme that runs through Attkisson’s analysis of pharmaceutical practices.
The ethical integrity of medical research is critical, but Attkisson highlights how this standard has faltered. In her analysis of the "Support Baby Oxygen Study", she describes how parents of premature infants were misled about a clinical trial’s nature and risks. Without full disclosure, infants faced severe outcomes like blindness and brain damage, demonstrating the importance of transparency in protecting patient rights. Government funding and political pressure often shield such studies from accountability, allowing medical institutions to bypass ethical norms and conduct experiments without sufficient regulatory scrutiny.
Aduhelm, the Alzheimer's drug controversially approved by the FDA, is another example where Attkisson claims that industry influence undermined impartial decision-making. Biogen, Aduhelm’s manufacturer, collaborated closely with the FDA to secure the drug’s approval despite limited evidence of its efficacy, prompting concerns about conflict of interest. The FDA’s approval of other high-cost drugs like Lekembe further fuels these suspicions, with many believing economic motivations influence public health decisions more than scientific merit.
Vaccines are indispensable tools, yet Attkisson contends that the vaccine industry remains mired in secrecy, largely protected from public accountability. Legal frameworks like the Vaccine Court make it challenging for those who suffer vaccine-related injuries to pursue justice. The case of Hannah Poling, whose autism symptoms were reportedly exacerbated by vaccination, highlights the limited recourse available to families. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, early assurances about vaccine efficacy were often contradicted by real-world data, eroding public trust. Attkisson critiques the health authorities’ inconsistent messaging, noting that the public’s faith in medical institutions has been shaken by misleading guidance and policies that favored corporate interests.
During the COVID-19 crisis, the public saw how politics could distort scientific discourse. Attkisson cites the debate over hydroxychloroquine as a prime example of political agendas overshadowing objective science. Though some studies indicated hydroxychloroquine’s potential benefits, media portrayals, partially influenced by political opposition to President Trump’s endorsement of the drug, cast it in a negative light. Remdesivir, a more profitable but less effective drug, received more support, underscoring how financial stakes can overshadow clinical evidence. Attkisson argues that such bias may have sidelined affordable, accessible treatments in favor of lucrative alternatives that serve corporate interests.
Another critical issue is the long-term impact of both COVID-19 and its vaccine on public health. Attkisson draws attention to Long Covid and Long Vax, two emerging conditions with complex symptoms that remain understudied and poorly understood. She suggests that these conditions may be linked to the body’s response to spike proteins, whether from the virus or vaccine, with potential complications ranging from cognitive impairment to cardiovascular issues. Despite their prevalence, discussions about these long-term effects are often limited, with a tendency to downplay any vaccine-related complications.
Ultimately, "Follow the Science" presents a compelling critique of how pharmaceutical corporations and government agencies shape health narratives, often prioritizing profit over public safety. Through detailed case studies, Attkisson argues for greater transparency, accountability, and ethical rigor in public health to restore trust and protect patient welfare.
Following the 9/11 attacks, bioterrorism fears led to aggressive vaccine initiatives, including a smallpox vaccination program. This well-intentioned effort to protect the population from bioterrorism risks brought unintended consequences. Adverse reactions, such as heart inflammation, underscored the need for careful oversight. NBC journalist David Bloom’s untimely death raised awareness of these risks, but insufficient reporting may have left many similar cases unaddressed. Public health responses to bioterrorism reveal gaps in transparency and raise ethical concerns regarding informed consent, a recurring theme that runs through Attkisson’s analysis of pharmaceutical practices.
The ethical integrity of medical research is critical, but Attkisson highlights how this standard has faltered. In her analysis of the "Support Baby Oxygen Study", she describes how parents of premature infants were misled about a clinical trial’s nature and risks. Without full disclosure, infants faced severe outcomes like blindness and brain damage, demonstrating the importance of transparency in protecting patient rights. Government funding and political pressure often shield such studies from accountability, allowing medical institutions to bypass ethical norms and conduct experiments without sufficient regulatory scrutiny.
Aduhelm, the Alzheimer's drug controversially approved by the FDA, is another example where Attkisson claims that industry influence undermined impartial decision-making. Biogen, Aduhelm’s manufacturer, collaborated closely with the FDA to secure the drug’s approval despite limited evidence of its efficacy, prompting concerns about conflict of interest. The FDA’s approval of other high-cost drugs like Lekembe further fuels these suspicions, with many believing economic motivations influence public health decisions more than scientific merit.
Vaccines are indispensable tools, yet Attkisson contends that the vaccine industry remains mired in secrecy, largely protected from public accountability. Legal frameworks like the Vaccine Court make it challenging for those who suffer vaccine-related injuries to pursue justice. The case of Hannah Poling, whose autism symptoms were reportedly exacerbated by vaccination, highlights the limited recourse available to families. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, early assurances about vaccine efficacy were often contradicted by real-world data, eroding public trust. Attkisson critiques the health authorities’ inconsistent messaging, noting that the public’s faith in medical institutions has been shaken by misleading guidance and policies that favored corporate interests.
During the COVID-19 crisis, the public saw how politics could distort scientific discourse. Attkisson cites the debate over hydroxychloroquine as a prime example of political agendas overshadowing objective science. Though some studies indicated hydroxychloroquine’s potential benefits, media portrayals, partially influenced by political opposition to President Trump’s endorsement of the drug, cast it in a negative light. Remdesivir, a more profitable but less effective drug, received more support, underscoring how financial stakes can overshadow clinical evidence. Attkisson argues that such bias may have sidelined affordable, accessible treatments in favor of lucrative alternatives that serve corporate interests.
Another critical issue is the long-term impact of both COVID-19 and its vaccine on public health. Attkisson draws attention to Long Covid and Long Vax, two emerging conditions with complex symptoms that remain understudied and poorly understood. She suggests that these conditions may be linked to the body’s response to spike proteins, whether from the virus or vaccine, with potential complications ranging from cognitive impairment to cardiovascular issues. Despite their prevalence, discussions about these long-term effects are often limited, with a tendency to downplay any vaccine-related complications.
Ultimately, "Follow the Science" presents a compelling critique of how pharmaceutical corporations and government agencies shape health narratives, often prioritizing profit over public safety. Through detailed case studies, Attkisson argues for greater transparency, accountability, and ethical rigor in public health to restore trust and protect patient welfare.
April 25, 2025
Absolutely horrifying. I need to do more research on this topic. Because of that, I am only giving it four stars.
January 6, 2025
Anyone who takes medication, gets vaccines (or has children who do), and thinks that these products have been proven safe and effective, needs to read this book! The author is an investigative journalist (remember when that's what ALL journalists were?) who has documented some of the most heinous coverups imaginable by the government and pharmaceutical companies.
Beginning with a study on preemie babies, whose parents were only told that enrolling their child would help them get support for their special needs. In reality, the study forced these fragile children to be maintained on a specific level of oxygen no matter what their symptoms were, in order to determine whether high oxygen or low oxygen had better outcomes (there are risks with either, and it requires individual interpretation for each preemie).
Or the pesticide atrazine which is banned worldwide except here in the US, despite scientists finding feminization and sterilization of frogs at MUCH LOWER levels than are allowed. Could this be part of the source of the new trend where boys think they are girls and subject themselves to horrific surgeries to further that?
Or the fact that the Covid vaccines which were rushed to market, not only were never required to show safety they were not even required to show effectiveness. And overwhelming evidence is now present to show that unvaccinated people who got Covid developed immunity but vaccinated people continued to get Covid because the vaccine not only does not protect from infection or transmission, it increases the death rate from covid as well as "long covid." But these studies have been suppressed by the powerful pharmacy lobby. And hydroxychloroquinone and ivermectin? Remember all the "disinformation" push on those? Turns out they DO work quite well for many people, but no one would have made money off those so they were squashed and any doctors who tried to use them were discredited as quacks.
These are not just someone's conspiracy theory opinions. The author backs up every one of her assertions with multiple documents obtained through the freedom of information act (when they weren't stonewalling her and illegally refusing to release stuff). Much of it is now found online but you have to ignore Google's pushing you to the official CDC and NIH "info" sites to find it.
The pharmacy industry now controls the media, the medical schools, the "independent" medical journals and much of Congress. The title could also have been "follow the money!"
Beginning with a study on preemie babies, whose parents were only told that enrolling their child would help them get support for their special needs. In reality, the study forced these fragile children to be maintained on a specific level of oxygen no matter what their symptoms were, in order to determine whether high oxygen or low oxygen had better outcomes (there are risks with either, and it requires individual interpretation for each preemie).
Or the pesticide atrazine which is banned worldwide except here in the US, despite scientists finding feminization and sterilization of frogs at MUCH LOWER levels than are allowed. Could this be part of the source of the new trend where boys think they are girls and subject themselves to horrific surgeries to further that?
Or the fact that the Covid vaccines which were rushed to market, not only were never required to show safety they were not even required to show effectiveness. And overwhelming evidence is now present to show that unvaccinated people who got Covid developed immunity but vaccinated people continued to get Covid because the vaccine not only does not protect from infection or transmission, it increases the death rate from covid as well as "long covid." But these studies have been suppressed by the powerful pharmacy lobby. And hydroxychloroquinone and ivermectin? Remember all the "disinformation" push on those? Turns out they DO work quite well for many people, but no one would have made money off those so they were squashed and any doctors who tried to use them were discredited as quacks.
These are not just someone's conspiracy theory opinions. The author backs up every one of her assertions with multiple documents obtained through the freedom of information act (when they weren't stonewalling her and illegally refusing to release stuff). Much of it is now found online but you have to ignore Google's pushing you to the official CDC and NIH "info" sites to find it.
The pharmacy industry now controls the media, the medical schools, the "independent" medical journals and much of Congress. The title could also have been "follow the money!"
December 13, 2024
Confirmed what many of us already know - government, big pharma, and media are working hand-in-hand to make money. A few new examples for me. Gave a 3 star because final feeling was that she was tooting her own horn about how great she was at investigative journalism, but she provided no stat's and very little follow-up.
January 9, 2025
Didn't finish bc this is a subject I've read about for 20 years so it's nothing new to me interesting book for a beginner on this topic though
August 30, 2024
Follow the Science: How Big Pharma Misleads, Obscures, and Prevails by Sharyl Attkisson is a very highly recommended exposé of the corruption, subterfuge, propaganda, misinformation, and cover-ups present in the pharmaceutical industry and supported by the news media for decades.
As the epigraph states, No legitimate scientist ever declared science to be 'settled.' Once I started reading Follow the Science I could not put it down. It is well written, meticulously researched, clearly presented, and infinitely compelling and interesting. The number of passages I highlighted while reading is unprecedented. While still reading I immediately started sharing information with my family about the book. I preordered a hardcover copy. Everyone needs to read Follow the Science and it should be a call to action.
For many people Covid, the propaganda, and the growing number of health issues related to the vaccine have become the impetus for a growing disenchantment with the scientific establishment and pharmaceutical companies. For others this was a confirmation of the already present need to question Big Pharma, even while being labeled "anti-", or a denier, banned from social media, or attacked personally. Attkisson has spent years researching how the government, federal agencies, doctors, medical associations, and disguised nonprofits backed by industry push misinformation on the public. Even published medical studies are often unreliable and have been ghostwritten with the backing and support of the major pharmaceutical companies. Always follow the money.
There are so many truths uncovered in Follow the Science. Some of these include:
The risks behind the small pox vaccination and numerous examples of other vaccine injuries and ineffectiveness.
The Baby Oxygen study (or SUPPORT), informed consent, and the subsequent death of some babies.
The Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm, that was approved with no completed study with collaboration between the FDA and Biogen and caused brain bleeding and swelling.
How media companies are beholden to the drug industry which account for 75% of all ad spending.
Fifteen examples that explain how nearly everything Americans have been led to believe about vaccinations is scientifically proven false.
“The Biggest Coverup” is the shocking story of the links between vaccines and autism.
The documentation how the dangerous mercury preservative, thimerosal, is still in many vaccinations years after the media and medical establishment claimed it had been removed.
The herbicide atrazine and how it interferes with hormonal regulation and development. Big Pharma went after the researcher to discredit, intimidate, and threaten him while trying to bury his research. This was followed by a big lobby and money to influence the EPA decision on it's environmental safety.
The use of Viagra and a tie to blindness and deafness.
Widespread ghostwriting, when doctors sign their name to articles actually written by drug makers.
Pharmaceutical companies pay doctors to promote drugs, hide adverse reactions, control studies and public health through research funds, present compromised articles in medical journals, and drive the public narrative
A large portion of the book covers the numerous errors made during Covid by the CDC, FDA , and Big Pharma, including the overreaching control, propaganda, spread of false information, over counting, ethics lapses, fraud, and the overwhelming large scale harm the vaccines caused and are still causing through Long Covid/Long Vax.
Follow the Science 'will challenge your assumptions, open your eyes, and inspire you to take action. With its powerful message of truth and justice, this book is a must-read for anyone who cares about the future of our healthcare system and their own family's health.'
Attkisson has been a journalist for over forty years and a New York Times best selling author. She is the recipient of five Emmy Awards and an Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting. She has worked at CBS News, PBS, and CNN, and is a fifth degree blackbelt master in Taekwondo. Recently, disillusioned by the suppression and control of news by mainstream media, she became a nonpartisan investigative journalist, launching a Sunday morning national TV news program, Sinclair’s "Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson."
Thanks to HarperCollins for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2024/0...
As the epigraph states, No legitimate scientist ever declared science to be 'settled.' Once I started reading Follow the Science I could not put it down. It is well written, meticulously researched, clearly presented, and infinitely compelling and interesting. The number of passages I highlighted while reading is unprecedented. While still reading I immediately started sharing information with my family about the book. I preordered a hardcover copy. Everyone needs to read Follow the Science and it should be a call to action.
For many people Covid, the propaganda, and the growing number of health issues related to the vaccine have become the impetus for a growing disenchantment with the scientific establishment and pharmaceutical companies. For others this was a confirmation of the already present need to question Big Pharma, even while being labeled "anti-", or a denier, banned from social media, or attacked personally. Attkisson has spent years researching how the government, federal agencies, doctors, medical associations, and disguised nonprofits backed by industry push misinformation on the public. Even published medical studies are often unreliable and have been ghostwritten with the backing and support of the major pharmaceutical companies. Always follow the money.
There are so many truths uncovered in Follow the Science. Some of these include:
The risks behind the small pox vaccination and numerous examples of other vaccine injuries and ineffectiveness.
The Baby Oxygen study (or SUPPORT), informed consent, and the subsequent death of some babies.
The Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm, that was approved with no completed study with collaboration between the FDA and Biogen and caused brain bleeding and swelling.
How media companies are beholden to the drug industry which account for 75% of all ad spending.
Fifteen examples that explain how nearly everything Americans have been led to believe about vaccinations is scientifically proven false.
“The Biggest Coverup” is the shocking story of the links between vaccines and autism.
The documentation how the dangerous mercury preservative, thimerosal, is still in many vaccinations years after the media and medical establishment claimed it had been removed.
The herbicide atrazine and how it interferes with hormonal regulation and development. Big Pharma went after the researcher to discredit, intimidate, and threaten him while trying to bury his research. This was followed by a big lobby and money to influence the EPA decision on it's environmental safety.
The use of Viagra and a tie to blindness and deafness.
Widespread ghostwriting, when doctors sign their name to articles actually written by drug makers.
Pharmaceutical companies pay doctors to promote drugs, hide adverse reactions, control studies and public health through research funds, present compromised articles in medical journals, and drive the public narrative
A large portion of the book covers the numerous errors made during Covid by the CDC, FDA , and Big Pharma, including the overreaching control, propaganda, spread of false information, over counting, ethics lapses, fraud, and the overwhelming large scale harm the vaccines caused and are still causing through Long Covid/Long Vax.
Follow the Science 'will challenge your assumptions, open your eyes, and inspire you to take action. With its powerful message of truth and justice, this book is a must-read for anyone who cares about the future of our healthcare system and their own family's health.'
Attkisson has been a journalist for over forty years and a New York Times best selling author. She is the recipient of five Emmy Awards and an Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting. She has worked at CBS News, PBS, and CNN, and is a fifth degree blackbelt master in Taekwondo. Recently, disillusioned by the suppression and control of news by mainstream media, she became a nonpartisan investigative journalist, launching a Sunday morning national TV news program, Sinclair’s "Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson."
Thanks to HarperCollins for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2024/0...
May 17, 2025
“Follow the Science” is a fascinating but very disturbing book. In college, I majored in Biology and Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics so “follow the science” is something that comes naturally to me. But based on this book and three others I’ve read (“Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty,” by Patrick Radden Keefe, “The Real Anthony Fauci: Bill Gates, Big Pharma, and the Global War on Democracy and Public Health” by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and “Pharma: Greed, Lies, and the Poisoning of America” by Gerald Posner) I have serious questions about the ways in which science has been corrupted.
This is a story of follow the money. The pharmaceutical industry is a powerhouse of money and influence. Every politician in Washington, Democrats and Republicans (with the exception of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump according to Attkisson) accepts huge donations from Big Pharma. Big pharma buys roughly 75% of all the television ads ($4.58 billion) on the major networks, both left and right leaning. (FYI - Pharmaceutical ads are banned from TV in almost every other country but were allowed on US television networks as of 1997.) Scientists, who work in government health agencies, routinely work with representatives from the pharmaceutical industry to coordinate approval of profitable drugs. Often, those same scientists leave the government within a few years and go to work for the companies whose products they were regulating. Groups of scientists who promote their “independent” scientific positions that are favorable to the pharmaceutical industry are often not independent at all. Many of these independent groups are secretly funded by big pharma and those scientists who work in these “independent” groups are legally allowed to participate in these so-called independent groups two years and one day after they leave the company whose products they are evaluating. Bottom line: there are really no checks and balances for anything the pharmaceutical industry tells or sells the public. Their money, influence and propaganda are everywhere.
Attkisson describes many examples of drugs that we were told were safe, only to have them pulled off the market after numerous serious side effects became apparent. Peer reviewed scientific studies are frequently edited to exclude or minimize references to serious side effects. Attkisson discusses the conflicting evidence of the possible link between vaccines and autism, which has risen dramatically in the last few years. Is a particular vaccine the problem? Is a combination of vaccines given at the same time the problem? Is the huge increase in the number and frequency of vaccinations we administer to young children the problem? We just don’t know. Congress and the pharmaceutical industry really want no part of looking into it. Attkisson calls vaccines “the third rail” of the pharmaceutical industry.
Attkisson writes: “Let me pause to state something that should be obvious. It’s not “anti-vaccine” to ask questions, research, or report about vaccine safety. In all my years of investigating topics, this one stand alone in terms of the orchestrated pushback it draws. When I broke international news about deadly rollovers of Ford Explorers outfitted with Firestone tires, nobody suggested I was “anti-car” or “anti-tire.” That would be absurd. When I uncovered fraud at the Red Cross involving 9/11 donations, nobody suggested I was “anti-Red Cross”, “anti-charity”, or “anti-9/11 donations.” When I investigated other drug safety issues, nobody considered me to be “anti-medicine.” If I were to talk about studies showing that some people are allergic to penicillin, it wouldn’t make me “anti-penicillin.” Ask yourself why the game changes when it comes to vaccines. The fact that people feel compelled to say, “I’m not anti-vaccine…” before making perfectly grounded statements or asking rational questions speaks to the success of one of the most influential propaganda movements of our time.”
I particularly enjoyed the chapter on “De Niro and Me” where she describes her interactions with Robert DeNiro about his plan to show a film dealing with vaccines at the Tribeca Film festival in NYC. De Niro received an incredible level of push back from various sources about his plans to show the documentary. The chapters on the Covid pandemic, including who knew what and when, were also very interesting.
In the epilogue Attkisson, who is the daughter and sister of doctors writes, “As a patient, I didn’t believe the government or medical professionals would ever lie. As a parent, I believed that doctors, government medical experts, and child safety groups put my child’s health first, above all other concerns. I made sure my child got all the recommended vaccines without considering that they might not be necessary, might not work, or could do harm. As a young reporter, I believed pretty much whatever message the medical establishment advanced. I thought scientific research was pure and to be taken unquestioningly at face value.”
I’ve read four of Sharyl Attkisson’s books. (“The Smear: How the Secret Art of Character Assassination Controls What You Think, What You Read, and How You Vote”, “Slanted”, and Stonewalled: My Fight for Truth Against the Forces of Obstruction, Intimidation, and Harassment in Obama's Washington) They are all excellent.
Sharyl Attkisson has won five Emmy Awards and an Edward R. Murrow award for investigative reporting. She has covered controversies under the administrations of Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden.
Attkisson is one of the very few investigative journalists around for whom I have the utmost respect.
I HIGHLY recommend this book.
This is a story of follow the money. The pharmaceutical industry is a powerhouse of money and influence. Every politician in Washington, Democrats and Republicans (with the exception of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump according to Attkisson) accepts huge donations from Big Pharma. Big pharma buys roughly 75% of all the television ads ($4.58 billion) on the major networks, both left and right leaning. (FYI - Pharmaceutical ads are banned from TV in almost every other country but were allowed on US television networks as of 1997.) Scientists, who work in government health agencies, routinely work with representatives from the pharmaceutical industry to coordinate approval of profitable drugs. Often, those same scientists leave the government within a few years and go to work for the companies whose products they were regulating. Groups of scientists who promote their “independent” scientific positions that are favorable to the pharmaceutical industry are often not independent at all. Many of these independent groups are secretly funded by big pharma and those scientists who work in these “independent” groups are legally allowed to participate in these so-called independent groups two years and one day after they leave the company whose products they are evaluating. Bottom line: there are really no checks and balances for anything the pharmaceutical industry tells or sells the public. Their money, influence and propaganda are everywhere.
Attkisson describes many examples of drugs that we were told were safe, only to have them pulled off the market after numerous serious side effects became apparent. Peer reviewed scientific studies are frequently edited to exclude or minimize references to serious side effects. Attkisson discusses the conflicting evidence of the possible link between vaccines and autism, which has risen dramatically in the last few years. Is a particular vaccine the problem? Is a combination of vaccines given at the same time the problem? Is the huge increase in the number and frequency of vaccinations we administer to young children the problem? We just don’t know. Congress and the pharmaceutical industry really want no part of looking into it. Attkisson calls vaccines “the third rail” of the pharmaceutical industry.
Attkisson writes: “Let me pause to state something that should be obvious. It’s not “anti-vaccine” to ask questions, research, or report about vaccine safety. In all my years of investigating topics, this one stand alone in terms of the orchestrated pushback it draws. When I broke international news about deadly rollovers of Ford Explorers outfitted with Firestone tires, nobody suggested I was “anti-car” or “anti-tire.” That would be absurd. When I uncovered fraud at the Red Cross involving 9/11 donations, nobody suggested I was “anti-Red Cross”, “anti-charity”, or “anti-9/11 donations.” When I investigated other drug safety issues, nobody considered me to be “anti-medicine.” If I were to talk about studies showing that some people are allergic to penicillin, it wouldn’t make me “anti-penicillin.” Ask yourself why the game changes when it comes to vaccines. The fact that people feel compelled to say, “I’m not anti-vaccine…” before making perfectly grounded statements or asking rational questions speaks to the success of one of the most influential propaganda movements of our time.”
I particularly enjoyed the chapter on “De Niro and Me” where she describes her interactions with Robert DeNiro about his plan to show a film dealing with vaccines at the Tribeca Film festival in NYC. De Niro received an incredible level of push back from various sources about his plans to show the documentary. The chapters on the Covid pandemic, including who knew what and when, were also very interesting.
In the epilogue Attkisson, who is the daughter and sister of doctors writes, “As a patient, I didn’t believe the government or medical professionals would ever lie. As a parent, I believed that doctors, government medical experts, and child safety groups put my child’s health first, above all other concerns. I made sure my child got all the recommended vaccines without considering that they might not be necessary, might not work, or could do harm. As a young reporter, I believed pretty much whatever message the medical establishment advanced. I thought scientific research was pure and to be taken unquestioningly at face value.”
I’ve read four of Sharyl Attkisson’s books. (“The Smear: How the Secret Art of Character Assassination Controls What You Think, What You Read, and How You Vote”, “Slanted”, and Stonewalled: My Fight for Truth Against the Forces of Obstruction, Intimidation, and Harassment in Obama's Washington) They are all excellent.
Sharyl Attkisson has won five Emmy Awards and an Edward R. Murrow award for investigative reporting. She has covered controversies under the administrations of Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden.
Attkisson is one of the very few investigative journalists around for whom I have the utmost respect.
I HIGHLY recommend this book.
October 30, 2024
Despite record-breaking advancements in science and medicine, we're witnessing a troubling surge in chronic illnesses, mental health disorders and once-rare diseases becoming commonplace. These issues often go unaddressed or even ignored by policy-makers, who seem more focused on preserving the interests of powerful pharmaceutical companies than on addressing the root causes of this health crisis.
“It is a strange time indeed when doctors are trained to be incurious and incautious, and when they are trained in ideology over evidence.”
Notes:
- it becomes increasingly difficult to determine who has your best interests in mind
- While the smallpox vaccine had been critical in eradicating the disease in the US, it came with significant risks. Experts estimated that 1 to 3 individuals per million vaccinated could suffer fatal complications, such as heart inflammation. As the program progressed, adverse reactions began to emerge, but experts believed the true scope of harm was vastly underreported.
- Bloom's case highlighted how many similar deaths or injuries may have been overlooked due to insufficient reporting. By mid-2003, as more side effects came to light, including cases of heart inflammation and civilian deaths, the vaccination program was quietly scaled back.
- scientific advancement can sometimes come at the expense of patient safety, especially when vulnerable participants are involved
- In 2021, the Alzheimer's drug aducanumab, branded as Aduhelm, was introduced as a groundbreaking treatment for millions facing dementia. Marketed as the first drug targeting amyloid plaques, the suspected root cause of Alzheimer's, it was expected to slow disease progression. But Aduhelm quickly became one of the most controversial pharmaceutical approvals, primarily due to incomplete data supporting its release. Clinical trials of Aduhelm were halted in 2019 after early results suggested the drug was ineffective.
- In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, another significant health crisis has emerged, often referred to as Long Covid and Long Vax. These conditions appear to be linked to spike proteins and microclotting issues in the body, affecting millions of people worldwide. By early 2024, up to 25% of adults were already reporting signs of long-term illness, many of them vaccinated. But the vaccine's potential role in exacerbating these conditions is often ignored in public discussions.
- The illnesses, which surface long after the virus or vaccine is cleared, present a wide range of symptoms, from brain fog and muscle stiffness to severe complications like strokes and heart attacks. Doctors are often at a loss, dismissing these patients or misdiagnosing them due to a lack of guidance on testing and treatment.
- The root of the problem seems to lie in the spike protein, whether from the virus or the vaccine, which triggers abnormal blood clotting. This clotting disrupts oxygen flow to vital organs, leading to systemic health issues.
- as more independent doctors and researchers challenge the status quo, there's hope for a more transparent and accountable health system
“It is a strange time indeed when doctors are trained to be incurious and incautious, and when they are trained in ideology over evidence.”
Notes:
- it becomes increasingly difficult to determine who has your best interests in mind
- While the smallpox vaccine had been critical in eradicating the disease in the US, it came with significant risks. Experts estimated that 1 to 3 individuals per million vaccinated could suffer fatal complications, such as heart inflammation. As the program progressed, adverse reactions began to emerge, but experts believed the true scope of harm was vastly underreported.
- Bloom's case highlighted how many similar deaths or injuries may have been overlooked due to insufficient reporting. By mid-2003, as more side effects came to light, including cases of heart inflammation and civilian deaths, the vaccination program was quietly scaled back.
- scientific advancement can sometimes come at the expense of patient safety, especially when vulnerable participants are involved
- In 2021, the Alzheimer's drug aducanumab, branded as Aduhelm, was introduced as a groundbreaking treatment for millions facing dementia. Marketed as the first drug targeting amyloid plaques, the suspected root cause of Alzheimer's, it was expected to slow disease progression. But Aduhelm quickly became one of the most controversial pharmaceutical approvals, primarily due to incomplete data supporting its release. Clinical trials of Aduhelm were halted in 2019 after early results suggested the drug was ineffective.
- In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, another significant health crisis has emerged, often referred to as Long Covid and Long Vax. These conditions appear to be linked to spike proteins and microclotting issues in the body, affecting millions of people worldwide. By early 2024, up to 25% of adults were already reporting signs of long-term illness, many of them vaccinated. But the vaccine's potential role in exacerbating these conditions is often ignored in public discussions.
- The illnesses, which surface long after the virus or vaccine is cleared, present a wide range of symptoms, from brain fog and muscle stiffness to severe complications like strokes and heart attacks. Doctors are often at a loss, dismissing these patients or misdiagnosing them due to a lack of guidance on testing and treatment.
- The root of the problem seems to lie in the spike protein, whether from the virus or the vaccine, which triggers abnormal blood clotting. This clotting disrupts oxygen flow to vital organs, leading to systemic health issues.
- as more independent doctors and researchers challenge the status quo, there's hope for a more transparent and accountable health system
May 20, 2025
If you have been following the narrative of this topic, most of this book will be nothing new-although there were some statistics I felt were interesting.
However, I found a lot of flaws with this - I know that this is her perspective but don’t say you are “non-partisan” and give only the perspective from the right side, Republican and pro-Trump. I don’t know how many time she would mention an organization or individual and have to add “left-leaning, pro-pharma” “left-wing billionaire” or “left-leaning MSNBC. She failed to mention the very beginning of Covid and how Trump kept telling everyone “it will just disappear” and how his administration and those he hired and trusted to speak to the press about it gave mixed messages about masking, stay at home, vaccines, etc.
Multiple times she mentions that I seemed to be “the ONLY reporter to note this fallacy” or she was “the only national journalist to report “…hmmm
She mentions an interview she does in 2020 regarding the drug remdesivir, but the next paragraph she references the 2021 study when the drug was pulled…time line off??
Pg. 283 As she wraps up about who to trust and not trust it’s very interesting that she says “ don’t assume you are getting the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth from these frequently biased sources:” she mentions The Atlantic, CNN, MSNBC, USA Today, Washington Post along with many others, but doesn’t mention FOX News?
She also gives NO references to any facts, statistics or quotes.
Interesting…
An October 2023 analysis puts pharmaceutical settlements and penalties since 2010 at more than $80 billion. Johnson and Johnson tops the list with more than 45 violations and $24.5 billion in penalties. Pg. 79
By 2019, most children were getting three times as many vaccinations as kids got in 1983.
The deluge of TV drug ads being around 1997. By 2020, the pharmaceutical industry accounted for 75% of all televised ad spending in the US, adding up to about $4.58 billion.
Table
However, I found a lot of flaws with this - I know that this is her perspective but don’t say you are “non-partisan” and give only the perspective from the right side, Republican and pro-Trump. I don’t know how many time she would mention an organization or individual and have to add “left-leaning, pro-pharma” “left-wing billionaire” or “left-leaning MSNBC. She failed to mention the very beginning of Covid and how Trump kept telling everyone “it will just disappear” and how his administration and those he hired and trusted to speak to the press about it gave mixed messages about masking, stay at home, vaccines, etc.
Multiple times she mentions that I seemed to be “the ONLY reporter to note this fallacy” or she was “the only national journalist to report “…hmmm
She mentions an interview she does in 2020 regarding the drug remdesivir, but the next paragraph she references the 2021 study when the drug was pulled…time line off??
Pg. 283 As she wraps up about who to trust and not trust it’s very interesting that she says “ don’t assume you are getting the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth from these frequently biased sources:” she mentions The Atlantic, CNN, MSNBC, USA Today, Washington Post along with many others, but doesn’t mention FOX News?
She also gives NO references to any facts, statistics or quotes.
Interesting…
An October 2023 analysis puts pharmaceutical settlements and penalties since 2010 at more than $80 billion. Johnson and Johnson tops the list with more than 45 violations and $24.5 billion in penalties. Pg. 79
By 2019, most children were getting three times as many vaccinations as kids got in 1983.
The deluge of TV drug ads being around 1997. By 2020, the pharmaceutical industry accounted for 75% of all televised ad spending in the US, adding up to about $4.58 billion.
Table
July 20, 2025
Honestly, I’m not sure how to rate/review this book. It’s a mixed bag of one star and five stars. I may come back and edit this later after I have a chance to do some more of my own research. It is persuasively written and makes a lot of good points about the real dangers and pitfalls that exist with conflict of interest and group think in the broader biomedical research/pharmaceutical industry. The early chapters seemed pretty solid and brought up some historical events I wasn’t aware of. The author also made some solid points about problems with how the pandemic was handled at the public health level. However, she lost my trust on many of the vaccine claims. In order to state a confident opinion, I will need to first do more research on many of the individual claims that were made. She effectively raises a lot of doubts about “establishment narratives”, but she did not convince me that she was telling the whole story either. Her resource list at the end did not give me a lot of confidence. And the biggest reason for my doubt is her failure to bring up the fact that many anti-establishment and skeptic voices like hers make a sizable profit off of sowing doubt about the medical system. It’s not just pharmaceutical companies who are making money. They actually end up losing money on many/most of their projects before coming up with something that works. Real science is hard, and in my experience, mostly carried out by well-intentioned people who want to get it right. And while that does not mean we should unthinkingly believe every study conclusion without examining the data, it does mean we cannot just dismiss whole lines of published research out of hand. So yes, by all means do your own research rather than automatically believing every last thing that health officials tell you. But be careful in doing so. First learn how to correctly interpret scientific articles, and then prepare to spend countless hours looking at all the relevant studies rather than reading online voices who are saying things you already have an inclination to believe.
September 17, 2024
Are the foxes guarding the henhouse? According to investigative journalist and author Sharyl Attkisson, conflicts of interest abound given the vast amount of influence, resources, and money pharmaceutical companies have at their disposal. This book can be broken down into two halves. The first proffers numerous instances of harm caused by prescription drugs and childhood vaccines as well as the subsequent cover ups and smear campaigns (including against Ms. Attkisson), and contends how perverse incentives have compromised public health at every level. The second half is about Covid-19, ranging from origin denial to the mismanaged response (i.e., lockdowns, mandates, and machinations over treatment options) to misinformation about vaccine safety and efficacy, including the roles of the government, mainstream media, and healthcare in promulgating such. Ms. Attkisson suggests that the Covid debacle might come with a silver lining - a possible redpill event that will create a coalition among liberals, conservatives, scientists, doctors, and parents to start questioning the narrative. In a similar vein, the title of the book disparages the seemingly dogmatic blind faith represented by the phrase “Follow the Science”, which has become an Orwellian warcry antithetical to critical thought and a scientific mindset.
An important point to note: By challenging her readers to question vaccine safety, it would be fallacious to label Ms. Attkisson as “anti-vax” akin to calling her “anti-car” or “anti-tire” for previously reporting on deadly rollovers of Ford Explorers outfitted with Firestone tires.
I find Ms. Attkisson’s work to be trustworthy, comprehensive, and nonpartisan. I’m also a fan of her podcast, her show Full Measure, as well as her previous books: Stonewalled (3/5 stars); The Smear (4/5 stars); and Slanted (3/5 stars).
An important point to note: By challenging her readers to question vaccine safety, it would be fallacious to label Ms. Attkisson as “anti-vax” akin to calling her “anti-car” or “anti-tire” for previously reporting on deadly rollovers of Ford Explorers outfitted with Firestone tires.
I find Ms. Attkisson’s work to be trustworthy, comprehensive, and nonpartisan. I’m also a fan of her podcast, her show Full Measure, as well as her previous books: Stonewalled (3/5 stars); The Smear (4/5 stars); and Slanted (3/5 stars).
December 18, 2024
This is a disturbing book that should be widely read. It should be read by those who are skeptical of big pharmaceutical companies, and it should be read by those who are defenders of the current status quo.
In some ways, the title says it all. But I do think it is important to understand the current state of affairs in modern medicine, and this book gives a better understanding of the dissolution of reliable information and the "capture" of the institutions.
The book is readable and well-referenced (note: it had to be, I would guess that every sentence had to be litigation-proofed prior to release)
It is divided into a number of sections, and some are better than others in advancing the author's arguments. But it is hard to come away from reading without a better understanding of the larger pattern of how the system is corrupted, "controlled', and misleading at every turn.
Professor and podcaster Brett Weinsten refers to a "Cartesian Crisis" (a seeming absence of reliable facts, leading to a confusion of coordinates) in modern times. This book articulates reasons for that crisis as it specifically pertains to field of modern science/pharmaceuticals, as the levers of influence and undeniable conflicts of interests are exposed across the board. (NOTE: I am a practicing physician and am unaware of reliable sources of information that I can turn to. No source is perfect).
The book contains information related to COVID, but covers far more.
Read it, then share it
.
In some ways, the title says it all. But I do think it is important to understand the current state of affairs in modern medicine, and this book gives a better understanding of the dissolution of reliable information and the "capture" of the institutions.
The book is readable and well-referenced (note: it had to be, I would guess that every sentence had to be litigation-proofed prior to release)
It is divided into a number of sections, and some are better than others in advancing the author's arguments. But it is hard to come away from reading without a better understanding of the larger pattern of how the system is corrupted, "controlled', and misleading at every turn.
Professor and podcaster Brett Weinsten refers to a "Cartesian Crisis" (a seeming absence of reliable facts, leading to a confusion of coordinates) in modern times. This book articulates reasons for that crisis as it specifically pertains to field of modern science/pharmaceuticals, as the levers of influence and undeniable conflicts of interests are exposed across the board. (NOTE: I am a practicing physician and am unaware of reliable sources of information that I can turn to. No source is perfect).
The book contains information related to COVID, but covers far more.
Read it, then share it
.
September 26, 2024
If you care about your health, and that of your loved ones, this Follow the $cience is essential reading.
Sharyl Attkisson, an intrepid journalist in the truest sense, has written a compelling book that is the culmination of her investigations into the medical field: the CDC, the NIH, medical schools, medical studies, medical journals, medical research, and Big Pharma. Spoiler alert: much of what you have been told is not true. Many of the organizations/entities listed above are severely compromised by financial conflicts of interest.
Agencies that people tend to trust have published things that are not true, while the truth is hidden if it might adversely impact a bottom line. Meanwhile, your health is at risk.
Much of the book will (and should) make you angry, as you read the misinformation that has been promulgated, and why. There is a chapter, however, that provides hints for identifying misinformation and propaganda (such as the use of the expression "the science is settled"). It also contains a list of sources of medical information that historically have been reliable. This resource is invaluable.
Too many of us have left our health in the hands of "the professionals." We have not taken an active role in educating ourselves. It's time for us to flush the misinformation we've been given, and find the truth that has been hidden. This book is an excellent place to begin.
Sharyl Attkisson, an intrepid journalist in the truest sense, has written a compelling book that is the culmination of her investigations into the medical field: the CDC, the NIH, medical schools, medical studies, medical journals, medical research, and Big Pharma. Spoiler alert: much of what you have been told is not true. Many of the organizations/entities listed above are severely compromised by financial conflicts of interest.
Agencies that people tend to trust have published things that are not true, while the truth is hidden if it might adversely impact a bottom line. Meanwhile, your health is at risk.
Much of the book will (and should) make you angry, as you read the misinformation that has been promulgated, and why. There is a chapter, however, that provides hints for identifying misinformation and propaganda (such as the use of the expression "the science is settled"). It also contains a list of sources of medical information that historically have been reliable. This resource is invaluable.
Too many of us have left our health in the hands of "the professionals." We have not taken an active role in educating ourselves. It's time for us to flush the misinformation we've been given, and find the truth that has been hidden. This book is an excellent place to begin.
September 30, 2024
Investigative Journalist Attkisson rakes the FDA, the CDC, the medical establishment in general, and especially Big Pharma over the coals in this detailed exposé. From drugs that are approved without adequate trials to studies ‘ghostwritten’ by the drug companies themselves (even though they are ‘signed’ by doctors, who receive kickbacks from those same companies), she describes numerous instances of unethical behavior. The media is often complicit, since they risk losing money from drug ads. Medical textbooks are written by the pharmaceutical companies. You may have heard of possible links between vaccines and autism (denied by the FDA, of course), but how many people realize there have also been links between Viagara and blindness? Or that flu shots in the elderly may not be effective? And in the government-funded ‘Baby Oxygen’ study, the NIH decided it was OK to withhold safety info, because otherwise nobody would give consent to participate. And that’s all before Attkisson even gets around to reporting the fiasco that was Covid.
This is a fascinating book in a macabre sort of way. Whistleblowers have been censored and their reputations smeared. Some diseases have been exaggerated so as to ‘need’ a vaccine, and test results that do not follow the approved narrative are omitted or otherwise manipulated. Having consulted with parties from all sides of the political spectrum, Attkisson includes links to many of her reports and interviews, and provides guidelines on recognizing propaganda and false narratives. This is a badly-needed book, and is recommended for anyone interested in managing their own health.
This is a fascinating book in a macabre sort of way. Whistleblowers have been censored and their reputations smeared. Some diseases have been exaggerated so as to ‘need’ a vaccine, and test results that do not follow the approved narrative are omitted or otherwise manipulated. Having consulted with parties from all sides of the political spectrum, Attkisson includes links to many of her reports and interviews, and provides guidelines on recognizing propaganda and false narratives. This is a badly-needed book, and is recommended for anyone interested in managing their own health.
January 13, 2025
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
作者 Sharyl Attkisson 曾在 CBS 当调查记者，后来担任新闻主播，前后任职超过二十年。之前读过她两本书 Smear 和 Slanted，揭露新闻业如何联合公关公司炒作和抹黑的内幕。所以去年得知她又有新书的时候我非常期待。读完这本感觉果然还是她的风格，我喜欢。
这本书讲了美国各大制药公司如何把触角伸向社会各处：从政商勾结跟 CDC, FDA 上下打通关系，到利用客户身份操控主流媒体，再到暗中资助所谓的独立医生和研究者来写药物研究报告，甚至连医学院的教科书也是制药公司编写，隐藏相关药物的副作用…至于雇佣公关公司和网军、改写维基百科之类的事相比之下已经不值一提。
疫苗不是唯一提到的内容，但占了这本书很大的比重。首先关于疫苗是否会导致婴幼儿自闭症的问题，作者提到，那些已经在打疫苗之后出现自闭症的小孩，他们的家长在网上质疑，都被网上的人（谁？）扣上「反疫苗」的帽子。但他们怎么是反疫苗呢？反疫苗的家长一开始就不会去带小孩打疫苗啊！事实上，很多疫苗单独打的确没问题，也有几十年的数据支持，但很多小孩出现症状是因为一次接种六七种不同的疫苗，而基本没有这些疫苗会不会交互影响的研究，但制药公司通过影响力，给这些家长制造了一副疯狂反疫苗的公众形象，使他们无论说什么话都会遭到更多人讥讽。
新冠疫苗的黑幕更多：除了上面提到的所有问题，还有夸大致死率、夸大疫苗效应、CDC还在某个时候从网站上更新了「疫苗」的定义，把以前关于「接种后将不再感染该病」的表述删除了，原因就是新冠疫苗接种之后并没有阻止病毒的流行。
他们为什么这么做？其实看多就知道，在美国这样的资本主义社会，无论任何问题最后都是钱的问题。Everything is a business. 你的食物、药物，对于企业而言只是他们的「产品」，而企业制造产品可不是为了消费者的健康，而是盈利。为了盈利，并将利益最大化，企业可以无所不用其极，这其实就是资本主义的本质。We signed up for it. 所以指望他们用道德约束自己，真的 naive。
关于如何分辨关于医药品信息真伪，作者推荐了很多措施，我觉得我个人最受益的就是：看到底是谁在 censor 信息。这里不是说所有的信息都正确，也不可能所有人说的话全都真实，但是！如果看到不准确、不真实的信息，你只要提供准确、真实的信息就可以有力地反驳了，为什么不但不提供论据去反驳，反而要捂别人的嘴、抹黑对方、让别人不相信对方说的话？
Censor 信息的那一方一定有问题。这真是一条可以用来衡量很多事的黄金准则。
再说说我不能苟同的部分。作者保守派的观点显而易见，所以如果是保守派民众看过这本书，极可能会有「你看我就说疫苗不信」的反应。我支持接种疫苗（难以相信这种事也成了政治问题），更相信疫苗能带来正面的健康效果。但重点在于「疫苗」究竟该如何去定义？要做多少轮测试才应该上市？是否该和其他疫苗交叉实验？如何追踪疫苗效果、打通疫苗副作用上报渠道？书中提到的制药公司政商勾结问题肯定是存在的，所以我们面对的并不是疫苗本身，说到底还是如何应对人的问题。
对了，这本书里有描写CDC如何跟中国政府合作的内容。难怪豆瓣上没有这本书的条目😆
作者 Sharyl Attkisson 曾在 CBS 当调查记者，后来担任新闻主播，前后任职超过二十年。之前读过她两本书 Smear 和 Slanted，揭露新闻业如何联合公关公司炒作和抹黑的内幕。所以去年得知她又有新书的时候我非常期待。读完这本感觉果然还是她的风格，我喜欢。
这本书讲了美国各大制药公司如何把触角伸向社会各处：从政商勾结跟 CDC, FDA 上下打通关系，到利用客户身份操控主流媒体，再到暗中资助所谓的独立医生和研究者来写药物研究报告，甚至连医学院的教科书也是制药公司编写，隐藏相关药物的副作用…至于雇佣公关公司和网军、改写维基百科之类的事相比之下已经不值一提。
疫苗不是唯一提到的内容，但占了这本书很大的比重。首先关于疫苗是否会导致婴幼儿自闭症的问题，作者提到，那些已经在打疫苗之后出现自闭症的小孩，他们的家长在网上质疑，都被网上的人（谁？）扣上「反疫苗」的帽子。但他们怎么是反疫苗呢？反疫苗的家长一开始就不会去带小孩打疫苗啊！事实上，很多疫苗单独打的确没问题，也有几十年的数据支持，但很多小孩出现症状是因为一次接种六七种不同的疫苗，而基本没有这些疫苗会不会交互影响的研究，但制药公司通过影响力，给这些家长制造了一副疯狂反疫苗的公众形象，使他们无论说什么话都会遭到更多人讥讽。
新冠疫苗的黑幕更多：除了上面提到的所有问题，还有夸大致死率、夸大疫苗效应、CDC还在某个时候从网站上更新了「疫苗」的定义，把以前关于「接种后将不再感染该病」的表述删除了，原因就是新冠疫苗接种之后并没有阻止病毒的流行。
他们为什么这么做？其实看多就知道，在美国这样的资本主义社会，无论任何问题最后都是钱的问题。Everything is a business. 你的食物、药物，对于企业而言只是他们的「产品」，而企业制造产品可不是为了消费者的健康，而是盈利。为了盈利，并将利益最大化，企业可以无所不用其极，这其实就是资本主义的本质。We signed up for it. 所以指望他们用道德约束自己，真的 naive。
关于如何分辨关于医药品信息真伪，作者推荐了很多措施，我觉得我个人最受益的就是：看到底是谁在 censor 信息。这里不是说所有的信息都正确，也不可能所有人说的话全都真实，但是！如果看到不准确、不真实的信息，你只要提供准确、真实的信息就可以有力地反驳了，为什么不但不提供论据去反驳，反而要捂别人的嘴、抹黑对方、让别人不相信对方说的话？
Censor 信息的那一方一定有问题。这真是一条可以用来衡量很多事的黄金准则。
再说说我不能苟同的部分。作者保守派的观点显而易见，所以如果是保守派民众看过这本书，极可能会有「你看我就说疫苗不信」的反应。我支持接种疫苗（难以相信这种事也成了政治问题），更相信疫苗能带来正面的健康效果。但重点在于「疫苗」究竟该如何去定义？要做多少轮测试才应该上市？是否该和其他疫苗交叉实验？如何追踪疫苗效果、打通疫苗副作用上报渠道？书中提到的制药公司政商勾结问题肯定是存在的，所以我们面对的并不是疫苗本身，说到底还是如何应对人的问题。
对了，这本书里有描写CDC如何跟中国政府合作的内容。难怪豆瓣上没有这本书的条目😆
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2024
I agree with the author’s contention that there are huge problems with pharmaceutical companies maximizing profits at the expense of ordinary Americans. I am also concerned with medical studies published without due dilgence and adequate review. I also agree that Americans are taking too many pills and drugs unnecessarily.
I just wish that someone other than Sharyl Attkisson had written this book and expose. There is so much medical misinformation and propaganda that most of us have an honest challenge in determining what is truth and what is hype. I was not aware of Attkisson’s views on the connection between autism and vaccine prior to picking up this book.
She has a reputation of both excellent reporting and writing with an agenda. I’m not sure if she mixed both in this book. She raises issues that require further reporting and research. I just want a more impartial and authoritative perspective doing the research and analysis.
I just wish that someone other than Sharyl Attkisson had written this book and expose. There is so much medical misinformation and propaganda that most of us have an honest challenge in determining what is truth and what is hype. I was not aware of Attkisson’s views on the connection between autism and vaccine prior to picking up this book.
She has a reputation of both excellent reporting and writing with an agenda. I’m not sure if she mixed both in this book. She raises issues that require further reporting and research. I just want a more impartial and authoritative perspective doing the research and analysis.
October 28, 2024
I knew from the prologue that I probably wouldn’t last long with the writing style of this author. Fast-forward to chapter 1, where the author is describing her morning of September 11, driving to work and describing the landscape and the color of the sky and her slowly realizing that maybe a plane hitting one of the towers isn’t a mistake. Ugh.
1 - the author inserts herself too much in the book
2 - too many minutea descriptions
3 - she is describing something that probably 99% of her readers also experienced. The author isn’t the only one to have been alive during 9/11
I’ve read the fantastic “Empire of Pain” by Patrick Radden Keefe, and wanted to continue to see how this book compared.
I skipped ahead (audiobook) to chapter 2 and when the author started talking about the author again, I realized I needed to back up a bit…could the author REALLY be anti small pox vaccine?
Yep, the author is indeed a Loony Bird. DNF.
I knew from the prologue that I probably wouldn’t last long with the writing style of this author. Fast-forward to chapter 1, where the author is describing her morning of September 11, driving to work and describing the landscape and the color of the sky and her slowly realizing that maybe a plane hitting one of the towers isn’t a mistake. Ugh.
1 - the author inserts herself too much in the book
2 - too many minutea descriptions
3 - she is describing something that probably 99% of her readers also experienced. The author isn’t the only one to have been alive during 9/11
I’ve read the fantastic “Empire of Pain” by Patrick Radden Keefe, and wanted to continue to see how this book compared.
I skipped ahead (audiobook) to chapter 2 and when the author started talking about the author again, I realized I needed to back up a bit…could the author REALLY be anti small pox vaccine?
Yep, the author is indeed a Loony Bird. DNF.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews