Vaccinated: From Cowpox to mRNA, the Remarkable Story of Vaccines

"Medical writing at its finest."—David Oshinsky, author of Polio and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for History

In this compelling work of medical history, respected physician Paul Offit tells a fascinating story of modern medicine and pays tribute to one of the greatest lifesaving breakthroughs—vaccinations—and the medical hero responsible for developing nine of the big fourteen vaccines which have saved billions of lives worldwide. This edition includes a new foreword by the author.

Maurice Hilleman’s mother died a day after he was born and his twin sister was stillborn. Believing that he had escaped an appointment with death, he made it his life’s work to see that others could do the same. The fruits of his labors were nine vaccines that practically every child receives, everyday miracles of modern medicine that have eradicated some of the most common—and devastating—diseases, including mumps and rubella.

Offit, a vaccine researcher himself who co-invented the rotavirus vaccine, befriended Hilleman and, during the great man’s final months, interviewed him extensively about his life and career. Those conversations are the heart of Vaccinated. In telling Hilleman’s story, Offit takes us around the globe and across time, from the days of Louis Pasteur, to today, when a childhood vaccine can protect women from cervical cancer and stop a deadly pandemic like Covid-19. Yet these preventative treatments have come under increasing attack from both the left and right, and the anti-vaxxer movement that began with false reports over autism is growing at an alarming rate, threatening society’s well-being, and especially those whose conditions prevent them from being vaccinated. 

Offit makes an eloquent and compelling case for Hilleman’s importance, arguing that his name should be as well-known as Jonas Salk. This gripping biography of a scientist reminds us of the value of vaccines and the power of public health to save lives and protect our well-being.

This powerful narrative of scientific discovery delivers:

• A Medical Hero’s Journey: The incredible life of Maurice Hilleman, a man driven by his own brush with death to develop nine of the world’s most essential vaccines for mumps, rubella, and more.
• An Insider’s Perspective: Gain unique insights from author Paul Offit, a celebrated vaccine researcher who knew Hilleman personally and captured his story in extensive interviews.
• The History of Vaccines: Travel from the era of Louis Pasteur to the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic, uncovering the critical breakthroughs that changed the course of human history.
• Science vs. Misinformation: A clear-eyed look at the anti-vaxxer movement, providing a powerful, evidence-based case for the importance of immunology and public health.