If you are a healthcare professional whose work includes making sure that your patients receive their recommended vaccines on schedule, you’ll want to be sure to obtain a copy of the recently published 5th edition of The Purple Book.

If you are a healthcare professional whose work includes making sure that your patients receive their recommended vaccines on schedule, you’ll want to be sure to obtain a copy of the recently published 5th edition of “The Vaccine Handbook: A Practical Guide for Clinicians” (also known as "The Purple Book").

Written by Gary S. Marshall, MD, professor of pediatrics and chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, The Vaccine Handbook is a vital source of up-to-date information for vaccine providers and educators.

The fully indexed book draws together the latest vaccine science and guidance into a concise, user-friendly, practical resource for the private office, public health clinic, academic medical center, and hospital setting. It also serves as a great educational curriculum for healthcare professionals.

Occupying a middle ground between a scientific textbook and a compilation of facts and recommendations, the 560 pages of content are expansive, yet the book is small enough to fit into a lab-coat pocket. Most importantly, the language is plain, simple and accessible.

The Vaccine Handbook contains comprehensive and detailed information about every licensed vaccine in the United States, along with the rationale behind the recommendations for each vaccine. Also covered are the operational elements of administering vaccines, as well as storage and handling issues encountered in everyday practice. The book also provides background on how vaccines are developed, tested and licensed, how vaccine policy is made, what constitutes the vaccine safety net, standards and regulations, billing, office logistics and much more.

An especially useful chapter dedicated to vaccine hesitancy issues provides scientifically based guidance on how to respond to commonly raised questions about vaccine safety.

As author of the Foreword to the new edition, and as someone who has spent a career advocating for vaccination, I urge you to order a copy of Dr. Marshall’s book. It’s available on the Immunization Action Coalition’s website for $29.95 (plus shipping).

Download a descriptive information sheet about The Vaccine Handbook.

To order your copy or for more information, visit “The Vaccine Handbook: A Practical Guide for Clinicians” Web page on IAC's website

The book is also available from the publisher, Professional Communications, as well as from many online bookstores.

Materials in this section are updated as new information and vaccines become available. The Vaccine Education Center staff regularly reviews materials for accuracy.

You should not consider the information in this site to be specific, professional medical advice for your personal health or for your family's personal health. You should not use it to replace any relationship with a physician or other qualified healthcare professional. For medical concerns, including decisions about vaccinations, medications and other treatments, you should always consult your physician or, in serious cases, seek immediate assistance from emergency personnel.