Review essay: A shot in the dark. Is it time to shine a new spotlight on antivaccination?

For many, the vaccine sceptic Jenny McCarthy personified the heroic patient-consumer in the American marketplace. In her well-publicized venture, McCarthy valiantly challenged the medical establishment, conventional wisdom, and she championed alternative approaches to treatment. She promoted the idea that vaccines cause autism and the chelation therapy helped cure her son of autism. Yet, the fact that she empowered herself by going onto the internet to discover new treatments that challenged orthodox medical practices ingratiated her to many people.