title: MMR vaccination advice over the Internet.
abstract: We wanted to investigate what advice UK homeopaths, chiropractors and general practitioners give on measles, mumps and rubella vaccination programme (MMR) vaccination via the Internet. Online referral directories listing e-mail addresses of UK homeopaths, chiropractors and general practitioners and private websites were visited. All addresses thus located received a letter of a (fictitious) patient asking for advice about the MMR vaccination. After sending a follow-up letter explaining the nature and aim of this project and offering the option of withdrawal, 26% of all respondents withdrew their answers. Homeopaths yielded a final response rate (53%, n = 77) compared to chiropractors (32%, n = 16). GPs unanimously refused to give advice over the Internet. No homeopath and only one chiropractor advised in favour of the MMR vaccination. Two homeopaths and three chiropractors indirectly advised in favour of MMR. More chiropractors than homeopaths displayed a positive attitude towards the MMR vaccination. Some complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) providers have a negative attitude towards immunisation and means of changing this should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, 25 Victoria Park Road, Exeter EX2 4NT, UK. katja.schmidt@pms.ac.uk
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Edzard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ernst
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002684:Chiropractic / Q000523:psychology*; D006705:Homeopathy; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine / Q000009:adverse effects; D009313:National Health Programs; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology*; D006113:United Kingdom; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine