Professor Edzard Ernst, Professor of Complementary Medicine, University of Exeter
A few years ago we were celebrating the fact that measles had been virtually eradicated. Unfortunately, we had rejoiced too soon.
In 2022, 9 million people worldwide contracted the virus and 136,000 died from it, mainly children. Last year there were measles outbreaks in 37 countries.
In the UK, the number of measles infections has almost tripled in the last week: 314 suspected cases in England and Wales, up from 129 infections the previous week.
The figure so far this year is about 600, more than 10 times the figure for the same period in 2023.
The Department of Health urges immediate action to ensure all children receive the vaccine.
Due to the high infectivity of the measles virus, at least 95 percent of the population must be immunized to ensure herd immunity.
However, the immunization rate in the UK is currently only 85 per cent.
The reasons for widespread vaccine fatigue are certainly complex.
One that is often overlooked is the fact that many alternative doctors advise against vaccination.
The graph shows the dramatic rise in measles cases in England since October 1, driven mainly by cases in Birmingham.
A recent review found that vaccine hesitancy is primarily due to concerns about vaccine safety and effectiveness, perceptions of the risk and burden of measles, and distrust of experts.
Alternative practitioners like to play on those fears. They tend to exaggerate the risks of vaccines and question their effectiveness.
Many even claim that vaccines are a conspiracy to enrich the much-hated pharmaceutical industry.
The reason for the negative stance of alternative practitioners is simple. Already during their training they are wrongly informed that their therapy can replace all vaccines in a holistic and completely natural way.
Many homeopaths, for example, offer their own, albeit totally ineffective, form of vaccination called “homeoprophylaxis.”
The UK Society of Homeopaths states that its members should not “give advice or be involved in a patient’s decisions regarding vaccination”.
However, it only takes a few seconds to find UK professionals who offer homeoprophylaxis.
Just a few years ago, Ainsworth, the London-based homeopathic pharmacy, was criticized for selling homeopathic measles remedies, and ‘Dr. Reckeweg R62 measles drops are available on the Internet.
Measles is highly contagious and can cause serious complications, including death.
In my opinion, it is too serious a disease to tolerate charlatans meddling with it.
- Professor Edzard Ernst is a world-renowned complementary medicine researcher, founder of three medical journals and emeritus professor at the University of Exeter.