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Zuckerberg takes aim at vaccine deniers through his online book club

Zuckerberg takes aim at vaccine deniers through his online book club

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Facebook CEO says 'On Immunity' addresses 'an important and timely topic'

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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has selected a decidedly pro-vaccine book for the latest installment of his online book club, following a report last week that pointed to surprisingly low vaccination rates at Silicon Valley daycares affiliated with Google and other tech companies. The book, On Immunity by Eula Biss, examines and disarms the fear underpinning the anti-vaccine movement, based on Biss' personal experience with her young child. Vaccine deniers have gained traction in pockets of the US, alleging that vaccines can lead to autism, even though their claims have been thoroughly discredited by science.

"The science is completely clear."

The book is the fourth selection in Zuckerberg's "Year of Books" Facebook group, and was named one of the ten best books of 2014 by the New York Times Book Review. In a Facebook post late Wednesday, the Facebook founder and CEO said he chose Biss' book because it addresses "an important and timely topic." The selection comes weeks after a measles outbreak that began in California infected more than 100 people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention later said that the outbreak is directly linked to vaccine-denier movements.

"The science is completely clear: vaccinations work and are important for the health of everyone in our community," Zuckeberg writes. "This book explores the reasons why some people question vaccines, and then logically explains why the doubts are unfounded and vaccines are in fact effective and safe."