Dr. Offit’s biography is simply one of a person who is passionate about helping children. His first book, Breaking the Antibiotic Habit: A Parent’s Guide to Coughs, Colds, Ear Infections, and Sore Throats, was one of the first popular books that asked parents to start reducing the use of antibiotics, because they may have long-term consequences for the children. Obviously, the antibiotic industry didn’t get to him then. But most of his career has been in studying and supporting vaccines as the best method to prevent deadly diseases. Here are just a selection of what he’s done: He is Chief of Infectious Diseases at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Maurice R. Hilleman Professor of Vaccinology and professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He has published over 100 peer reviewed articles, most of which discuss vaccines and vaccinations. He was co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine, which protects children from the rotavirus infection, Prior to the release of the rotavirus vaccines in the USA, the disease was responsible for more than 400,000 doctor visits; more than 200,000 emergency room visits; 55,000 to 70,000 hospitalizations; and 20 to 60 deaths in children younger than 5 years of age. Each year, prior to the advent of the vaccine, an estimated 450,000 children died of this disease. I am not a hero worshipper by any means, but the lives saved by this vaccine are a credit to the devotion to children by Offit. If it were up to me, I’d put a statue of Offit, Jonas Salk (inventor of the polio vaccine) and Edward Jenner (who figured out how to use vaccines to stop smallpox) in front of every pediatrics hospital throughout the world. He has been a member of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. He has published several books about vaccines, vaccine denialism and other types of junk medicine.
Posted on: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 20:29:02 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015