Vaccinated: One Man’s Quest to Defeat the World’s Deadliest Diseases
by Emily Yox, MPH
Each month, NACCHO brings you a new public health book, read and reviewed by NACCHO staff. Book reviews in this series originally appeared on NACCHO Voice: The Word on Local health Departments and are republished here with permission.
Vaccinated, by Paul Offit, tells the incredible story of Maurice Hilleman, aptly named the father of modern vaccines. Despite his significant influence in the field of immunization, Hilleman is not as well-known as his impact would predict him to be. Vaccinated tells the story of Hilleman’s daughter, Jeryl getting the mumps as a child, and how that led to the development of the modern mumps vaccine, starting as a father’s determination to help his child. It goes on to discuss the numerous other vaccines that Hilleman played a role in developing, and covers with care, the recent anti-vaccination movement that is growing across the United States.
This is the second book by Paul Offit that I have recommended and likely won’t be the last. His ability to cover complex topics in a thoughtful and interesting way is unparalleled, in my opinion.
Want to discuss this book and others? Head over to NACCHO’s Virtual Communities page and connect with peers.
You Might Also Enjoy These Book Reviews:
- Pandora’s Lab: Seven Stories of Science Gone Wrong
- Lyme: The First Epidemic of Climate Change
- How to Survive a Plague: The Inside Story of How Citizens and Science Tamed AIDS
- Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City
- Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opioid Epidemic

Emily Yox
Emily Yox is the Program Analyst for Global Health at the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) in Washington, DC. In her role, she encourages US local health departments to understand the valuable perspective that global health programs can provide to domestic public health work. Emily completed her MPH in Global Health Epidemiology and Disease Control at the George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health. She also holds a BA in International Studies from American University, School of International Service.
Author Profile

Latest entries
Students of Public Health2023.01.23Students Who Rocked Public Health 2022
Students of Public Health2022.12.01Deadline Extended to Nominate a Student Who Rocked Public Health in 2022
JPHMP Direct Voices2022.10.19Preview Issue for Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey
Uncategorized2022.10.12Partnering for Success in One Ohio County
Pingback: Author Paul Offit Discusses His Latest Book, "Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far" - JPHMP Direct
Pingback: The Body: A Guide for Occupants - JPHMP Direct