In addition to all of the misinformation about vaccines we have gotten used to on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, there are also books filled with anti-vaccine myths and propaganda. Although many are self-published, others have gotten published by Skyhorse Publishing, an independent publisher who also publishes "health titles" from Gary Null Publishing.

Andrew Wakefield's book is actually published by Skyhorse, but is distributed by Simon & Schuster.
Andrew Wakefield's book is actually published by Skyhorse, but is distributed by Simon & Schuster.

Yes, that Gary Null, the HIV denialist...

How Simon & Schuster Became an Anti-Vaccine Publisher

So what's the connection with Simon & Schuster, the third largest publisher in the United States?

After all, Simon & Schuster is the publisher who gave us:

  • The Panic Virus: The True Story Behind the Vaccine-Autism Controversy by Seth Mnookin
  • Dr. Fauci - How a Boy from Brooklyn Became America's Doctor by Kate Messner
  • World War C - Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic and How to Prepare for the Next One by Sanjay Gupta

How did they go from Seth Mnookin to Andy Wakefield?!?

"Simon & Schuster, Inc., announced today that it has entered into a distribution agreement with Skyhorse Publishing, one of the finest independent publishers in the United States. Under the agreement, beginning January 1, 2019, Simon & Schuster will handle distribution for Skyhorse titles in the United States and most markets and territories around the world."

Simon & Schuster and Skyhorse Publishing in International Distribution Agreement

It seems that Simon & Schuster, a part of ViacomCBS, got into the anti-vaccine book publishing business a few years ago...

And that how they are helping push out books like:

Books by folks who are known to push anti-vaccine misinformation and propaganda.

Books by people who push dangerous biomedical treatments and restrictive diets, none of which work, to parents of autistic children.

How hard would it be to add a warning label or move anti-vaccine books into their own anti-vaccine categories on amazon?
How hard would it be to add a warning label or move anti-vaccine books into their own anti-vaccine categories on amazon?

It's bad enough that Amazon sells all of these anti-vaccine books without any warning to parents that they aren't real medical or parenting books, but that a major publisher is helping them get distributed is really shameful.

Vincent Iannelli has written and edited many books under various divisions and imprints of Simon & Schuster.
I have written and edited many books under various divisions and imprints of Simon & Schuster.

And it's especially disappointing to know that my own books will be associated with a publishing house that distributes the books from folks who scare parents away from vaccinating and protecting their kids.

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