Homoeopathic meningococcal 'vaccines'

With the recent community concerns around the prevention of meningococcal disease, the TGA is concerned that any promotion or use of these products as a preventative measure against meningococcal disease is entirely inappropriate.

Indeed, such use may be hazardous to the extent that patients who take them believing they will work as a prevention against infection may be putting themselves at serious risk. The Australian Immunisation Handbook produced by the National Health and Medical Research Council specifically states:

Homoeopathic 'immunisation' has not been proven to give protection against infectious diseases; only conventional immunisation provides a measurable immune response. The Council of the Faculty of the Homoeopathy, London, issued a statement in 1993 which reads: "The Faculty of the Homoeopathy, London, strongly supports the conventional vaccination program and has stated that vaccination should be carried out in the normal way, using the conventional tested and proved vaccines, in the absence of medical contraindications." The Executive Director of the Australian Natural Therapies Association has stated that no properly qualified natural therapist would recommend homoeopathic 'immunisation' as an alternative to conventional immunisation.

The TGA is currently working with the States and Territories to prevent further promotion or use of these products as alternatives to conventional immunisation.