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Guest Thinkers — March 1, 2011

Panic Virus Author Seth Mnookin on Communicating with Anti-Vaccine Parents

Matthew C. Nisbet

Last month, the School of Communication at American University hosted Seth Mnookin, best-selling author of The Panic Virus, a stirring look at America’s debate over childhood vaccination. The full video of the interview with science journalism professor Declan Fahy is now available with excerpts on You Tube. The event was the first in the new Science in Society Film and Lecture series organized by the School of Communication at American.

During the interview, Fahy showed Mnookin and the audience a clip from the PBS Frontline special The Vaccine War. In the clip, a public health official in Oregon discusses the issue with three mothers who have chosen not to vaccinate their children. Following the clip, Fahy asked Mnookin how he would respond to these mothers. You can watch Mnookin’s answer below. A highlight reel of excerpts from the interview is also available.

What do readers think?

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See Also:

Frontline’s The Vaccine Debate: The Politics of Medicine and Parents

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