‘It’s a remarkable story and this is a remarkable book … Helping to explain the political and social predicament that now afflicts so many of us ― the crisis in truth and its exploitation by people without scruple.’

‘Brian Deer’s definitive account of Andrew Wakefield’s fraudulent attempt to link the onset of autism in children with the MMR vaccine could not be better timed … gripping.’

‘Andrew Wakefield is one of the darkest figures of our time, personally responsible for launching a mass panic about vaccines that has resulted in a resurgence of deadly childhood epidemics worldwide. He has also caused untold grief to misguided parents who view this con-man as a saviour, and to autistic people who face further stigma by being falsely portrayed as ‘vaccine-damaged’. Written with the meticulousness of a journalist determined to find out the truth and the pulse-pounding pacing of a thriller, The Doctor Who Fooled the World is a profoundly important book.’

‘Seldom … has any new book been more timely than The Doctor Who Fooled the World.’

‘Comprehensive.’

'A brilliant book.’

‘The Doctor Who Fooled the World is a definitive account of the most consequential medical fraud of the twentieth century and of investigative reporter Brian Deer's role in uncovering it. Deer's book is a compelling reminder of what great investigative journalism looks like and why it matters.’

‘Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and Deer shines some of the brightest rays yet to reveal the rotten heart of one of the greatest public health frauds in history.’

‘A magnificent book. Too few people know how greed and deceit conspired to create the myth that vaccines cause autism. Only Brian Deer can tell that whole story, because he uncovered all of its chilling twists and turns.’

‘As a paediatrician, I’ve witnessed with fury the impact that Andrew Wakefield’s fraudulent science has had on the health of children. This brilliantly written book is a must-read.’

‘An extraordinary story of medical fraud and scaremongering, told by the courageous and tenacious journalist who revealed the truth.’

‘This riveting history of Andrew Wakefield’s career as an advocate for the discredited link between the measles vaccine and autism serves as a stirring demonstration of the process and power of investigative journalism … Deer recounts uncovering Wakefield’s deceptions thanks to testimony from disillusioned parents of study participants and guidance from more meticulous scientists … Readers who love a good debunking will find Deer’s narrative logical, exciting, and enraging.’

‘Riveting from start to finish. Thankfully, reporters like Brian Deer exist. He is not afraid to look into the eyes of the Grim Reaper and to fight back on behalf of all of us for whom scientific rigour is so important, but also perhaps more importantly, for the families whose lives have so often been devastated by misinformation and bad science.’

‘At times Deer’s book reads more like a thriller, and reveals the extent to which an ostensibly empirical scientific endeavour can be distorted by the subjectivity of human nature.’

‘Well argued and entertainingly written.’

‘Very detailed yet easy to read story of the events … It’s investigative journalism at its best and medical research at its worst … The Doctor Who Fooled the World is a fantastically detailed look at why we need investigative journalism and the global effect of misinformation.’

‘Mind-boggling … Every chapter drops your jaw.’

‘Although many people think they know this now-infamous story, it is likely they are unaware of all its dramatic details.’

‘Deer has been on the front line investigating this scandal for more than a decade, and his book is captivating on many levels … This stunning work sounds an urgent message and demonstrates the essential role of investigative journalism in uncovering the truth.’

‘Seldom has any new book been more timely than The Doctor Who Fooled the World … At times the book reads more like a thriller than a journalistic investigation.’

‘It’s fantastic … I couldn’t put it down. It was absolutely enthralling, disturbing, and it had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through.’

‘In this coronavirus age, where conspiracy theories run rampant, it’s an essential reminder: facts matter.’

‘Riveting … a compelling portrait of hubris and the terrible dark shadow it can cast.’

‘Exposing researchers who lie, cheat and fake their data often requires the work of courageous whistleblowers or tenacious investigative journalists. Enter Brian Deer, an award-winning reporter for the Sunday Times of London.’

‘This is storytelling at its best … And this is ultimately, investigative journalism at its best … The Doctor Who Fooled the World does an amazing job of taking you to the beginnings of the modern-day anti-vax movement, opening your eyes to the ulterior motives of the man who lit the match and started a fire that sadly, can't seem to be put out.’

‘This book is the whole story.’ 4.5 STARS

‘The Doctor Who Fooled The World provides a damning indictment of the processes and procedures against scientific fraud in medical academe … The great strength of Deer’s book is how he clearly explains the issues associated with medical and scientific research in the specialised area of vaccinations. His account is readily accessible to persons without such knowledge or training. The Doctor Who Fooled The World should be read by all of us for its explanation of campaigns against vaccination – battles between science and superstition, science and pseudo-science – which, if not put to rest, will have devastating consequences for all of us.’

‘Deer’s book contains everything you would ever want to know about the Wakefield MMR-autism fraud, and then some. He is the great expert on this matter.’

Brian Deer is a multi-award-winning investigative reporter, best known for inquiries into the drug industry, medicine, and social issues for the Sunday Times of London. He joined the paper in the 1980s and quickly won praise for campaigns that led to the lifting of legal immunities from hospitals and to the Disabled Persons Act of 1986, which conceded new rights to people with disabilities. He was the UK media's first social affairs correspondent, covering issues such as poverty, homelessness, prisons, and health policy.

Among Deer's professional recognitions, he was nominated three times for British Press Awards, the paramount prize for newspaper journalists, winning the title of specialist reporter of the year twice, and shortlisted for the title of reporter of the year. Judges said of his first, for investigations published longform in The Sunday Times Magazine, that he was probably "the only journalist in Britain that polices the drugs companies." For his second, awarded for investigations included in this book, they said his reporting was "a tremendous righting of a wrong." Among his television work, his hourlong Dispatches investigation, The Drug Trial That Went Wrong, was shortlisted for a Royal Television Society award.

In 2016, Deer was made Doctor of Letters (honoris causa) by York St. John University. He was also the 2009 Susan B. Meister lecturer in child health policy at the University of Michigan and the 2012 Distinguished Lecturer in Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. He has lived in New York, San Francisco, and Atlanta, and presently lives in London.

Deer has never taken any stance on whether vaccines can or can't, do or don't, cause autism or any other such issue. He emphasizes that he's a journalist, not a campaigner. As he writes in The Doctor Who Fooled the World of his professional maxim as a reporter, "Is it new? Is it true? Do we have it to ourselves?"

Website: briandeer.com Twitter: @deerbrian