Preventing the Next Pandemic

By: Peter J. Hotez

Narrated by: Graham Winton

Length: 5 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

The last five years saw a significant return of epidemic infectious disease, culminating in COVID-19. In our new post-COVID-19 world, how do we prevent future illnesses by expanding scientific and vaccine diplomacy and cooperation, especially to combat the problems that humans have brought on ourselves?

Modern diseases and viruses have been spurred anew by war and conflict as well as shifting poverty, urbanization, climate change, and a new troubling anti-science/anti-vaccination outlook. From such 21st-century forces, we have seen declines in previous global health gains, with sharp increases in vaccine-preventable and neglected diseases on the Arabian Peninsula, in Venezuela, in parts of Africa, and even on the Gulf Coast of the United States. In Preventing the Next Pandemic, international vaccine scientist and tropical disease and coronavirus expert Peter J. Hotez, MD, PhD, argues that we can - and must - rely on vaccine diplomacy to address this new world order in disease and global health. Detailing his years in the lab developing new vaccines, Hotez also recounts his travels around the world to shape vaccine partnerships with people in countries both rich and poor in an attempt to head off major health problems. Building on the legacy of Dr. Albert Sabin, who developed the oral polio vaccine with Soviet scientists at the height of the Cold War, he explains how he is still working to refresh and redirect vaccine diplomacy toward neglected and newly emerging diseases.

Hotez reveals how - during his Obama-era tenure as the US Science Envoy for the Middle East and North Africa, which coincided with both the rise in these geopolitical forces and climate change - he witnessed tropical infectious diseases and established vaccine partnerships that may still combat them up close. He explores why, since 2015, we've seen the decline of global cooperation and cohesion, to the detriment of those programs that are meant to benefit the most vulnerable people in the world. Unfortunately, Hotez asserts, these negative global events kick off a never-ending loop. Problems in a country may lead to disease outbreaks, but those outbreaks can lead to further problems - such as the impact of coronavirus on China's society and economy, which has been felt around the globe. Zeroing in on the sociopolitical and environmental factors that drive our most controversial and pressing global health concerns, Hotez proposes historically proven methods to soothe fraught international relations while preparing us for a safer, healthier future. He hammers home the importance of public engagement to communicate the urgency of embracing science during troubled times.

Touching on a range of disease, from leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) to COVID-19, Preventing the Next Pandemic has always been a timely goal, but it will be even more important in a COVID and post-COVID world.

©2021 Peter J. Hotez (P)2021 Recorded Books Inc.

vaccine diplomacy

this book describes vaccine diplomacy's history, present state, future. it is well detailed and compelling. Since Dr. Hotez is a scientist, you might expect thoughtfulness and precision of words. you will not be disappointed. But you will also see someone working with an unobstructed view of an extremely difficult and dangerous world and health situation who is still hopeful and oriented on problem solving. damn.

Important to understand what we are facing.

Excellent information from a dependable source. definitely recommend this book. Dr. Notes knows what he is talking about.

An expert on science and vaccines

Dr. Hotez presents first hand the background and research on vaccines of various parasites and viruses affecting various populations around the world, that he scales from his research laboratory at Baylor in Houston to undertake a global mission through the implementation of his Vaccine Diplomacy. This book narrates Dr. Hotez’s career as a paladin of science and vaccines as the most reliable mechanism to promote health and overcome poverty throughout the world. Dr. Hotez is an effective and skillful science writer, as he presents his personal experience at the local academics, policy and global health enterprise. This book represents a great window for anybody interested in science and health policy, as well as to anybody interested in excellent narrative and thought process.

Very worth a listen

I’ve long admired Dr Hotez and he does not disappoint. He offers personal insights about vaccine diplomacy and the insufferable problems countering science illiteracy and the anti vaxxers including the noxious coup plotters of the Republican fringe and RFK Jr.

Must reading

Dr. Hotez is a colleague and friend. I have great admiration for the work he has done and continues to do. This book is a major contribution to the literature and should be read by all those interested in global health as well as their own personal health. Dr. Hotez is making the case for Vaccine Diplomacy to be a core component of diplomacy for the globe. As someone who has spent more than 30 years working in the global vaccine world, I was first taken back a bit by his claim. Is it too bold? But the more I read and the more I thought about it, the more I came to agree with him. Vaccines really are just that powerful and meaningful for the globe. Only international agricultural research can claim to have helped save tens of millions of lives. But vaccines need and deserve more of a push. You don't have to convince a lot of people to eat, but there are millions that need convincing to get vaccines. Further every country has well established food distribution mechanisms, but many countries can do a lot more to ensure availability of vaccines to all their citizens. It is important that decision makers at the highest levels raise the priority for vaccines and battle the anti-science, anti-vaccine forces that are doing so much to ensure that people die needlessly. There is a lot more to the book. Hotez provides a comprehensive overview of global health and points out that some of the progress we have achieved could be lost without major efforts. The overview alone makes the book well worth reading. A very important characteristic of this book is that it presents objective facts in a way that can be useful to both sides of the hyper-partisan world we live in. Finally, it should be noted that Hotez has strong personal bone fides for writing this book.

I am the choir to whom he preaches

Besides the awesome list of disease, bug and treatment Hotez demonstrates the part of science that so few get-curiosity and pride. Curiosity about how life actually works and how to make it better. And Pride in making a difference-not in making money & status-but learning the place better than you found it.