Jenny Jackson
What are herbalists' concerns about vaccination and how do they describe the preventative role of herbal medicine in childhood infectious diseases
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Abstract
The scope of the study is to explore concerns about vaccination and to elicit herbalists’ views on the preventative role of herbal medicine in childhood infectious disease, using measles as the example.
Vaccination is a public health issue that has attracted debate for centuries and recently the MMR debate has raised concern among parents having to make the decision whether to vaccinate or not their children (Coulter H & Fisher B, 1992). Consequently, there has been a decrease in the number of children receiving MMR vaccination which could potentially result in an increase in the number of parents approaching herbalists for advice on natural methods of healthcare (SCIEH, 2003).
The study involves a literature review plus interviews with four herbalists who have either chosen to only partially vaccinate their children with some of the recommended vaccinations in the childhood immunisation programme, or to withhold vaccination altogether.
It includes contrasting theories on the aetiology of infectious disease, statistical information on the incidence and mortality-rates of measles over the past century, an outline of the origins of vaccination, a review of concerns over vaccination, and a compilation of information on the preventative role of herbal therapeutics in childhood infectious disease, focusing on herbs, diet and lifestyle.
The conclusion reached was that herbalists have many concerns over vaccination and they believe that herbal medicine (encompassing herbs, diet and lifestyle) can offer parents choosing not to vaccinate their children a natural way to help their child stay healthy, and also to aid recovery from childhood infectious diseases, should they occur.
