Dana Ullman on Vaccines with References

The scientist to win the 1st Nobel Prize in Medicine was Emil Adolph von Behring for his discovery of the diphtheria vaccine. He later acknowledged that he was inspired to do his research by homeopathy.  Although vaccinations and homeopathy are both based on the “principle of similars,” these two treatments are also quite different.  Homeopathic medicines are used in much smaller and safer doses; they are usually prescribed with much greater individualization, and homeopathic medicines are used to both treat AND prevent disease, not just prevent disease.  

I am personally not “against” vaccines.  To be against vaccines is akin to be against surgery.  Both treatments have their place in health care, but each treatment is inappropriate for everyone, and numerous factors need to be considered before accepting them as a reasonable strategy.  First and foremost, living in a free society, I strongly believe that no drugs should be mandatory.  Second, vaccines are not always safe, and they can cause chronic ailments in rare situations (but such situations are more common than is commonly realized).  Third, some acute infections, such as chicken pox and measles, may actually be important for children to experience as a way to augment and strengthen their emerging immune and defense systems (did you know that children who get measles tend to have a significantly lower incidence of respiratory allergies).  Finally, the primary reason that homeopathy became popular in the 19th century in Europe and in the USA was the result of the impressive results that homeopaths experienced in treating the various infectious disease epidemics that raged during that era.  In other words, homeopathic medicines can be effective in treating many modern infectious diseases.