Scott Gottieb provides us with solid information when it comes to infectious diseases, and what happens when it uncontrollable spread. Uncontrolled Spread has a lot of fascinating information.

Scott Gottlieb offers an "I was there" account of the political and administrative battles that raged through the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The book is a bit self-serving at times, but Gottlieb makes up for that shortcoming by going beyond the surface level story and delving into topics like supply chain resilience and different types of public/private coordination.

UNCONTROLLED SPREAD by Scott Gottlieb describes in detail "Why COVID-19 Crushed Us and How We Can Defeat the Next Pandemic." Currently a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and on Pfizer's Board of Directors, Gottlieb was a commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration from 2017 to 2019 and is a frequent op-ed contributor at The Wall Street Journal. In this text, he succinctly outlines many factors (inconsistent messaging, ill-prepared bureaucracy, underfunding, etc.), that contributed to Covid's massive impact. Acknowledging Operation Warp Speed as a "bright spot," Gottlieb writes, "I'm convinced that if we had had a more coordinated national response and stronger surveillance at the outset, we would have had a better outcome." As an insider, Gottlieb has perspective on the culture at the FDA and comments also on the CDC's propensity to provide reporting that is "reflective and aims to provide definitive analysis." Yet, the policy-makers, clinicians, and concerned Americans needed real-time information as Gottlieb notes in a chapter titled "The Information Desert." What an opportunity to teach critical thinking and explain how imprecise the information really was. Gottlieb writes in an accessible manner, describing complicated scientific subjects like genome tracing and the technologies involved in vaccine development. He shares reflections on needed changes to the public health system and international cooperation. UNCONTROLLED SPREAD is a fascinating read for current and future student researchers.

A very timely look at the situation we find ourselves in, and one that answers the question- how did we get here? This was an engrossing read, especially for minds that are trying to make sense of the world we live in.

Scott Gottlieb has been a steady presence on cable TV during the pandemic, and his insider, authoritative view of how big decisions were made in DC, Beijing, and Atlanta will become a touchstone for historians looking for a first draft of how the United States' response to the COVID-19 pandemic was so lacking. He walks through multiple subplots close followers of the pandemic's twists and turns may have heard about but not understood - such as the critical failing of the CDC's initial test for the virus, and the bureaucratic nightmare that ensued. This is a long, detailed look at nearly aspect of how America's public health system failed, from the President to career staff, and what we should be doing to be better prepared if - or when - the next novel virus begins to spread.

In a world struggling to get back to normal after a devastating pandemic, especially when false information and theories are rampant, this book piqued my interest when it appeared on Net Galley. Former commissioner Gottlieb is someone I’ve trusted for information for years, and he doesn’t disappoint in this book.

I was curious to see how this book would share information. The tone of the book is extremely factual, and it doesn’t feel like it pushes an agenda. In cases of potential controversy, like how the former President handled the crisis, Gottlieb explains the situation from both sides and shares the outcome, as well as information on how the situation could have gone if the opposite decision was made. He takes the same approach with the CDC’s decisions, and ultimately many shortfalls. He also draws a lot of analogs to prior pandemics, like the Spanish flu, and scenario planning from potential flu pandemics.

I respect the former commissioner after his years at FDA, and his ability to share some really scientific information in a meaningful way with a lay audience shines in this book. He specifically shares what mRNA vaccines are in a way that anyone can understand, which is the mark of both how brilliant he is and that he is extremely well written.

One warning though, the material is very dense and it will take you time to get though, so this isn’t a quick read. The other big flag for me was if you are unfamiliar with government agencies, public health policy and general processes of the CDC/FDA, you may have a little more trouble in some of the places he talks about the specific ways in which the agencies responded.