Dec. 29, 2008 -- A popular book that presents an alternative vaccine schedule for infants and toddlers is flawed, misguided, and puts children at significant risk of preventable diseases, the journal Pediatrics reports in a harshly-worded article.
The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child, by the widely-followed Robert Sears, MD, of Capistrano Beach, Calif., contains recommendations for vaccines that are at odds with those of the American Academy of Pediatrics and is dangerous, Paul Offit, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania's School of Medicine, tells WebMD.
The book also undermines recommendations by the CDC and the American Academy of Family Physicians, Offit says.
His analysis of the book is published in the latest edition of Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Sears' book, which has become a best seller and is popular among parents leery of vaccines, has induced many to change vaccine schedules or avoid recommended vaccinations for their children, Offit tells WebMD.
"What he does is, he capitalizes on the current culture's fear of vaccines by saying, 'not only do I understand your fear but I will provide you with a mechanism whereby you can act on that fear,'" Offit says. "His method is to separate, delay, or withhold some vaccines. That means some children become more susceptible for a longer time to diseases, and there is no reason to delay."
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