For Objectivity in Viewing Vaccinations. ​Position of Anthroposophic Medicine

Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland, 7th June 2019

For objectivity in viewing vaccinations
Position of Anthroposophic Medicine

The Medical Section at the Goetheanum and the International Federation of An-throposophic Medical Associations have stated that Anthroposophic Medicine is not anti-vaccine and does not support anti-vaccine movements. Rather, it advocates an objective and differentiated view on vaccinations.

“Anthroposophic Medicine fully appreciates the contribution of vaccines to global health,” write the Medical Section at the Goetheanum, Switzerland, and the International Federation of Anthroposophic Medical Associations in a joint statement. Together with health education, hygiene and adequate nutrition, vaccinations have helped “save countless lives”. Anthroposophic Medicine supports vaccinations to prevent life-threatening diseases, not least against the background of specific health challenges, such as climate, poverty, refugee movements, mass housing, malnutrition and others.

Measles is a serious infectious disease, especially for infants and adults. At the same time, the right of parents and patients to be correctly informed about the vaccination and the time of vaccination must be respected. It is important to know that the measles vaccination does not protect everyone – at least one percent of those who have been vaccinated twice do not have sufficient measles immunity. The question of the optimal time should also be asked: “Vaccination at nine months more often results in vaccination failure than vaccination from the 15th month onwards, which leads to much more reliable long-term protection,” says Georg Soldner, pediatrician and deputy head of the Medical Section at the Goetheanum. “If the vaccine is given too early,” he says, “more children will remain unresponsive to the vaccine.” In addition, there is a responsibility towards people who cannot be vaccinated due to an immunodeficiency. “When young people leave my practice,” he continues, “I check, if possible, to see whether they have measles immunity. It should not happen, for example, that adults without protection travel to countries (perhaps as part of a development aid project) where measles still exists: they can infect themselves there and then others.”

Regarding measles vaccination, studies have shown that it can contribute to a positive maturation of the immune system. According to Georg Soldner, it is “a fact that the immune system of small children can mature through acute febrile diseases. However, healthy childhood development is also possible without measles if children suffer from other acute febrile diseases and are wisely treated and cared for.”

(2552 Zeichen/SJ, translation by Carol Brousseau)

Statement www.ivaa.info/latest-news/article/article/anthroposophic-medicine-statement-on-vaccination

Contact Claudia Holtermann, info@medsektion-goetheanum.ch