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This is a discussion topic for the May 2024 Book of the Month, "Neither Safe Nor Effective (2nd Edition): The Evidence Against the COVID Vaccines" by Dr. Colleen Huber.

Do you think one needs scientific literacy to understand and evaluate this book?

I don't think one needs scientific literacy to understand the book. The author presents the information in a manner digestible to laymen. One only needs critical thinking to decipher what's true or false based on the facts provided.

It’s helpful to have a sense of how studies are constructed by pharmas, especially studies that strive to pass FDA review quickly. It also helps to have prior context on vaccine injury and the programs in place to remediate that, well in advance of COVID.

As a medical student, I believe having medical literacy greatly enhances your understanding of the book. Knowing how vaccines work, it's unfathomable to me that anti-vaxxers exist, but this stems from a lack of knowledge and prejudiced opinions. Fortunately, people can always educate themselves. Contacting your doctor for accurate information is the best option, but there are also many online resources that simplify medical concepts.

That being said, everyone can understand the business side and the breaches in rules and regulations during the development of the Covid vaccine, as explained in this book. However, a lack of medical knowledge can lead people to have a negative view of vaccines, unfairly vilifying them. In reality, when vaccines follow all the rules and regulations, they are not bad. As exemplified in the book, we've eradicated certain deadly diseases because of these vaccines.

Knowledge of medical terminology and the ability to analyze numerical data can definitely facilitate the understanding of this book. But this book is not just suitable for medical students and staff, so no specific literacy is required. Anyone over 18 years old with a sound knowledge of words and numbers will be able to get what the book is trying to convey. When it comes to evaluation, though, a perspective from the medical field and specialized students are in a better position compared to laypersons. Overall, the book is not very difficult to understand, but evaluating it should be done with some expertise.

Having scientific literacy would definitely help with understanding the book, but it is not necessary. Many readers understood the book but did not have the background. Have your phone handy, and if you don't understand a word or phrase, look it up.

My answer is no. The book does not require scientific literacy; a basic understanding is also sufficient. Scientific literacy may be helpful to acquire knowledge easily, but it is not compulsory.

Yes of course, it'll definitely help to have a grounded knowledge about the book. I recommend it.

Yes. I feel that for you to actually understand and enjoy a book, you must have basic knowledge of the themes contained in the book. Though this is not a necessity, it is just for tge book to be appreciated more.

I think one just needs a simple and background understanding of some scientific and medical terminologies. But nothing too special though. The COVID 19 situation helped everyone learn that.

No, I don't think you need scientific literacy to understand and evaluate this book. The author does a great job of explaining complex scientific concepts in simple, easy-to-understand language. While having some background knowledge might enhance your understanding, the book is written in a way that is accessible to everyone, regardless of their scientific background. The use of personal stories and clear explanations makes the information relatable and easy to grasp.

Absolutely. If one wants to seriously debate the credibility of such a book then yes, a medical literacy is needed. Yes, the book has been written in a very accessible manner and that is what makes it dangerous, if we do not do our due diligence when it comes to forming life-changing decisions based on the author's opinions

Although scientific literacy will go a long way in helping you understand the more subtle details, I don't think a lack of scientific literacy will stop you from understanding the book

The book offers details about vaccination safety and its advancement, emphasizing the value of analytical thinking and knowing the pharmaceutical industry's financial aspects. Anyone with a solid grasp can benefit from reading this book. Although not required, scientific literacy is not required to comprehend the book.

No. If a person is interested in a particular topic, then they can use all the resources available both online and at the library to learn about it. Scientific literacy might come in hand but it isn't necessary.