Mark A. Largent is the author of Keep Out of Reach of Children: Reye's Syndrome, Aspirin, and the Politics of Public Health; Vaccine: The Debate in Modern America; and Breeding Contempt: The History of Coerced Sterilization in the United States. He is a historian of science, Associate Professor in James Madison College at Michigan State University, and Associate Dean in Lyman Briggs College at Michigan State University. He earned his PhD from the University of Minnesota's Program in the History of Science and Technology and has taught history of science, science policy, and American history classes at Michigan State, Oregon State, and the University of Puget Sound. He lives in Lansing, Michigan.

• IntroductionChapter One: The Discovery of Reye’s SyndromeChapter Two: Toxins, the Obvious CauseChapter Three: The Deadly MistChapter Four: The Front Line in the Battle Against Reye’s SyndromeChapter Five: The Aspirin HypothesisChapter Six: The Aspirin Industry RespondsChapter Seven: The Rise of Labels and the Fall of Reye’sChapter Eight: Labels, at LastChapter Nine: Triumph and DissentConclusionAcknowledgementsEndnotesIndex

"In this fascinating account, Reye's syndrome--survivor Largent weaves his own tale throughout the bigger story about this puzzling medical condition... This thought-provoking work certainly meets the goal of the publisher's Pathologies Series to chart 'the impact of disease on human individuals and populations from the biological, historical, and cultural perspectives.'" --Booklist "A well-researched history of Reye's syndrome that explores how science, medicine and politics interact... As Largent examines the dispute over whether to require warning labels on bottles of aspirin, he also scrutinizes the actions and interactions--some might say the machinations--of pharmaceutical companies, consumer rights groups, epidemiologists, public health officials, courts and the U.S. Congress... A revealing work." --Kirkus Reviews "An absorbing study of the interrelationships of science, business, politics, and public health... Both professionals and lay readers interested in science will enjoy this work." --Library Journal "Meticulous... If one thing becomes clear in Largent's narrative, it's that the regulatory process itself is disordered." --Publishers Weekly "Far more than a story of parental interests or threats to children's health... Recommend[ed] for any concerned with public health management, research studies, aspirin and its management, or the processes of intervention, protection, and research that dictate the choices of public health as a whole." --Midwest Book Review/California Bookwatch "Explicates the difficulties of epidemiology and of turning their findings into effective, useful action in the face of political and economic resistance... If you are sometimes bewildered by the current struggle for science to make a dent against ignorance, it's all here in Keep Out of Reach of Children." --Portland Book Review "A fascinating history of a public health crisis. Compellingly written and insightful, Keep Out of Reach of Children traces the discovery of Reye's syndrome, research into its causes, industry's efforts to avoid warning labels on one suspected cause, aspirin, and the feared disease's sudden disappearance. Largent's empathy is with the myriad children and parents harmed by the disease, while he challenges the triumphalist view that labeling solved the crisis." --ERIK M. CONWAY, coauthor of Merchants of Doubt "Largent's engaging and honest account explores how medical mysteries are shaped by prevailing narratives about venal drug companies, heroic investigators, and Johnny-come-lately politicians." --HELEN EPSTEIN, author of The Invisible Cure