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Traditional and natural remedies have a similar record of healing and no side effects
Some people will reject vaccinations based on unwarranted beliefs. For example, the claim that the body has a ‘natural healing potential’ or that ‘natural’ is always better. This may lead people to believe that suffering a ‘natural’ disease in order to achieve subsequent immunity is preferable to being vaccinated, which is the exact opposite of the actual risks.
Many adherents of ‘alternative medicine’ hold unwarranted beliefs and are sceptical of vaccinations.
Research has shown that these unwarranted beliefs are particularly shaped by ‘cognitive variables’, a psychological term which describes the ways in which people process information.
It is these cognitive variables that separate unwarranted beliefs from conspiracist beliefs, which is primarily influenced by perceived threat and emotional variables.
These cognitive variables include:
This theme promotes Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatments as viable alternatives to vaccination. They are said to be as effective or superior to prevent or treat the disease. Some examples are homeopathic nosodes, Reiki and herbal medicines, vitamin supplements, and faith and prayer healing.
Many people use alternative and traditional medicine without negative consequences. It is understandable to want to complement our medical treatments with remedies that fit our lifestyles and outlook on health. Many of these alternative remedies are even presented as safer and more natural than medical treatments, so they are very appealing.
Dialogue between patients and healthcare professionals is most productive if it is guided by empathy, and an opportunity for the patient to affirm the reasons underlying their attitudes and to express understanding for that. That’s why it is important to understand the attitude roots behind people’s overt opinions. To affirm a person’s underlying attitude root does not mean we need to agree with the specifics of their argument. For example, we can acknowledge that:
Many people use alternative and traditional medicine without negative consequences. It is understandable to want to complement our medical treatments with remedies that fit our lifestyles and outlook on health. Many of these alternative remedies are even presented as safer and more natural than medical treatments, so they are very appealing.
The appeal of alternative and traditional medicine often lies in its use of natural remedies, but unfortunately natural remedies do not provide a substitute for vaccines which have a longstanding record of effectiveness in boosting the body’s natural immune response.
Vaccines are required to combat dangerous diseases that our immune systems struggle with.
Boosting our natural immune system is key to preventing severe illness and death. For example, COVID-19 vaccinations have saved nearly half a million lives in less than a year through generating natural immune protection without suffering the full, and potentially very severe, symptoms of the disease.
Vaccinations are thus our first line of defence for these diseases. Or to put it another way: vaccinations are nature at its best.
Additional information:
Academic references:
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