My partner (25) of one year has been raised a homeopath by her charismatic and alternative mother, shunning modern medicine, vaccinations, antibiotics, fluoride toothpaste and even anti-malarials when travelling to at-risk areas. Instead she has been always given homeopathic remedies to “cure” her whooping cough, measles and numerous preventable infections. In recent years, she has not been seriously ill, and attributes this to her “activated” immune system. All past recoveries (massively prolonged recoveries) have been put down to the “homeopathic remedy”, where extracts of plants are diluted tens of billions of times, with zero medical or scientific proof.

We have discussed this at length, my partner citing allegiance to her mother for her loyalty to the placebo medicines, and not her own personal beliefs. When I provide facts from verified sources I am met with anecdotal tales without provenance. How do I convince her, if we want to go travelling and one day have children, that she is safest getting herself (and any kids) vaccinated, against her mothers “teachings”?

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