• DOI:10.1007/s004310050650
• Corpus ID: 25420567

The attitude against immunisation within some branches of complementary medicine

@article{Ernst1997TheAA,
  title={The attitude against immunisation within some branches of complementary medicine},
  author={E. Ernst},
  journal={European Journal of Pediatrics},
  year={1997},
  volume={156},
  pages={513-515}
}

• E. Ernst
• Published 26 June 1997
• Medicine
• European Journal of Pediatrics

Complementary medicine (CM) has been de®ned as ``CM is diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention which complements mainstream medicine by contributing to a common whole, by satisfying a demand not met by orthodoxy or by diversifying the conceptual frameworks of medicine'' [12]. At present CM is highly popular. Between 33% (USA) and 50% (Australia) of the general population use some type of CM [5, 20]. This level of popularity might be amazing for many physicians, considering the lack of knowledge about ecacy or safety of most of the therapies [8]. Usually CM is assumed to be relatively risk-free. In fact, one of the prime motivators to try CM is the hope of being cured without side-e€ects [13]. But even if the remedies were entirely safe, there may be indirect safety issues to account for. This article addresses the question of whether complementary practitioners are safe. In particular, the known data relating to the advice of homoeopaths, chiropractors and naturopaths on immunisation.