Vaccines, Autoimmunity, and the Changing Nature of Childhood Illness - by Thomas Cowan (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Over the past fifty years, rates of autoimmunity and chronic disease have exploded: currently 1 in 2.5 American children has an allergy, 1 in 11 has asthma, 1 in 13 has severe food allergies, and 1 in 36 has autism. While some attribute this rise to increased awareness and diagnosis, Thomas Cowan, MD, argues for a direct causal relationship to a corresponding increase in the number of vaccines American children typically receive--approximately 70 vaccine doses by age eighteen. The goal of these vaccines is precisely what we're now seeing in such abundance among our chronically ill children: the provocation of immune response. Dr. Cowan looks at emerging evidence that certain childhood illnesses are actually protective of disease later in life; examines the role of fever, the gut, and cellular fluid in immune health; argues that vaccination is an ineffective (and harmful) attempt to shortcut a complex immune response; and asserts that the medical establishment has engaged in an authoritarian argument that robs parents of informed consent. His ultimate question, from the point of view of a doctor who has decades of experience treating countless children is: What are we really doing to children when we vaccinate them?"--Pulisher's description.

Book Synopsis

One doctor's surprising answer to the epidemic of chronic disease and essential reading for everyone concerned with the health of the next generation

"Dr. Cowan intelligently educates us on the complicated and beautiful workings of our immune system [and] charts the clear, concise path to healing, offering a better, healthier life for us, our children, and the planet."--Lindy Woodard, MD, Pediatric Alternatives

Over the past fifty years, rates of autoimmunity and chronic disease have exploded. Currently:

• 1 in 2.5 American children has an allergy
• 1 in 11 has asthma
• 1 in 13 has severe food allergies
• 1 in 36 has autism.

While some attribute this rise to increased awareness and diagnosis, Thomas Cowan, MD, argues for a direct causal relationship to a corresponding increase in the number of vaccines American children typically receive--approximately 70 vaccine doses by age eighteen. The goal of these vaccines is precisely what we're now seeing in such abundance among our chronically ill children: the provocation of immune response.

Dr. Cowan looks at emerging evidence that certain childhood illnesses are actually protective of disease later in life; examines the role of fever, the gut, and cellular fluid in immune health; argues that vaccination is an ineffective (and harmful) attempt to shortcut a complex immune response; and asserts that the medical establishment has engaged in an authoritarian argument that robs parents of informed consent. His ultimate question, from the point of view of a doctor who has decades of experience treating countless children is: What are we really doing to children when we vaccinate them?

Review Quotes

"Dr. Tom Cowan has created an entertaining, compelling, and readily accessible book explaining the risks involved in today's overaggressive vaccination campaign. I particularly appreciate his emphasis on the risks to autoimmune disease inherent in antibody induction through vaccines. This book is a great addition to the growing body of literature revealing why vaccination is not the best strategy for protection against infectious diseases."--Stephanie Seneff, senior research scientist, MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory

"I would like to thank Dr. Tom Cowan for writing this book! Humanity seems to have forgotten that human body is part of nature; the further we move away from nature the sicker we become, and it is our children who pay the heaviest price for what modern civilization is doing to our environment and our bodies. This book will make the reader think. I warmly recommend it!"--Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD, author of Gut and Psychology Syndrome

"Dr. Cowan does a great job explaining in clear and common-sense terms that the practice and the rationale of vaccination is deeply flawed, and, astoundingly, is not evidence-based but rather fear-based. The vaccine paradigm is upheld by the consensus, but the consensus in not based on a free and unbiased reading of all the evidence, rather only on a small part of it, while much is ignored. Dr. Cowan contributes greatly to a much-needed correction of this misleading and misled consensus."--Philip Incao, MD, advisor, Physicians for Informed Consent

"Tom Cowan's Vaccines, Autoimmunity, and the Changing Nature of Childhood Illness is both brilliant and beautifully simple. He shares facts not taught in medical school, that reflect ancient wisdom, common sense, and trust in the intelligence of life itself. Understanding the role of childhood illnesses such as chickenpox and measles is critical to our survival as a species. Tom does an outstanding job of connecting the dots and giving reason to what is often misunderstood!"--Cilla Whatcott, producer of the film Real Immunity; author of There is a Choice

"As a pediatrician for thirty-five years, I have seen the enormous rise in autoimmune diseases like asthma, allergies, eczema, and autism. We no longer need to scratch our heads wondering why, because the reasons are clear. In Vaccines, Autoimmunity, and the Changing Nature of Childhood Illness, Dr. Cowan intelligently educates us on the complicated and beautiful workings of our immune system, clearly explains how and why its malfunction is harming us, and elucidates why our precious children are so vulnerable to these diseases. Most importantly, perhaps, Dr. Cowan charts the clear, concise path to healing, offering a better, healthier life for us, our children, and the planet."--Lindy Woodard, MD, Pediatric Alternatives

"We westerners must wake up to the fact that vaccination is driving our modern epidemics of autism, dementia, autoimmunity, and allergies. In Vaccines, Autoimmunity, and the Changing Nature of Childhood Illness, Dr. Thomas Cowan whistle-blows on Big Pharma and the medical profession. Quite rightly, too. Human misery aside, these diseases are debilitatingly expensive. Autism usually results in care for life.

"The arguments Dr. Cowan makes are not only biologically plausible, but are based in good science. He states what, for many, is the obvious: we must learn to live within the laws of nature, not fight against them as if they were some evil force. Evolution has the answers! We have lived with microorganisms for millions of years, and many confer significant survival benefits. Cowan details this with devastating logic. Childhood infections such as chickenpox and measles are desirable; they program the immune system in such a way as to protect us from disease later in life.

"This book gives parents the intellectual ammunition they need to fight back against the pro-vaccine medical establishment. They clearly need such. I have seen parents driven by fear into vaccinating their children entirely against their parental instincts. By not vaccinating, Cowan shows us how children can be protected from allergy, autoimmunity, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, asthma, and autism. This book is essential reading for all concerned with the health of the next generation."--Dr. Sarah Myhill, author of Sustainable Medicine and Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myalgic Encephalitis

"Thomas Cowan, MD, is a gifted physician and scientist. He is also a man of integrity who sticks his neck out for the truth. In addition he has the talent for making complex and urgent topics easy to read and understand for the intelligent layperson. He has accomplished this with his book, Human Heart, Cosmic Heart, the best book out there on holistically healing cardiovascular diseases. Now he has done it again with Vaccines, Autoimmunity, and the Changing Nature of Childhood Illness.

"Vaccination has been a controversial topic for decades with informed parents around the world having to struggle with regulatory authorities and doctors over the necessity and effectiveness of vaccination to prevent childhood diseases. Now Dr. Cowan comes out with a powerful book giving a clear scientific voice to the intuition of many parents regarding the dangers of vaccination. Tamper with our immune system through one-sided interventions, and pay a tragic price.

"This book is a global wake-up call to defend, against those who would destroy it, the awesome wisdom of the human body to wage its own battle against the myriad diseases that seek to overcome our internal defense system. This book will have a profound, beneficial impact on human health around the world in the years and decades to come. It is a courageous and pioneering work worthy of admiration and support."--Nicanor Perlas, recipient, Right Livelihood Award

About the Author

Thomas Cowan, MD, has studied and written about many subjects in medicine, including nutrition, homeopathy, anthroposophical medicine, and herbal medicine. He is the author of Cancer and the New Biology of Water; Vaccines, Autoimmunity, and the Changing Nature of Childhood Illness; and Human Heart, Cosmic HeartThe Fourfold Path to HealingThe Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby and Child Care. Dr. Cowan has served as vice president of the Physicians' Association for Anthroposophic Medicine and is a founding board member of the Weston A. Price Foundation. He also writes the "Ask the Doctor" column in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming, and the Healing Arts (the Weston A. Price Foundation's quarterly magazine), has lectured throughout the United States and Canada, and is the cofounder of two family businesses, Dr. Cowan's Garden (drcowansgarden.com) and Human Heart, Cosmic Heart (humanheartcosmicheart.com). He has three grown children and currently resides in San Francisco with his wife, Lynda Smith.