: He contends that a 10% increase in excess deaths is typically a once-in-200-year event; thus, a 40% jump represents an "earth-shaking" anomaly.
Published in 2022 by Skyhorse Publishing in partnership with Children’s Health Defense, this book argues that there was an unprecedented and unexplained surge in excess mortality among young and working-age people starting in 2021. Edward Dowd, a former BlackRock portfolio manager, uses his background in financial pattern recognition to analyze actuarial and insurance data.
: Dowd frequently cites public disclosures from the CEO of OneAmerica insurance, stating that death rates among working-age individuals (ages 18–64) rose by 40% in late 2021 compared to pre-pandemic levels. Cause Unknown - Ed Dowd
: Some reports, such as those from the Associated Press, have identified individuals featured in the book whose deaths were attributed to non-vaccine causes (e.g., undiagnosed pre-existing conditions) despite being used as examples of "sudden death".
: Studies published in JAMA Network and by the CDC indicate that excess all-cause mortality was actually higher in the least-vaccinated U.S. states compared to the most-vaccinated states during this period. : He contends that a 10% increase in
: Dowd's primary thesis is that the introduction of mass COVID-19 vaccination campaigns and employment mandates in 2021 is the only major variable that changed to account for this sudden spike.
: Critics argue Dowd commits the post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy—assuming that because deaths rose after vaccine mandates, the vaccines must be the cause. : Dowd frequently cites public disclosures from the
: The book highlights a trend of sudden deaths among seemingly fit individuals, such as young athletes and healthy teenagers, who historically have the lowest mortality rates.