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of technology to its natural and traditional alternative, and this frequently triggers a vigorous debate with natural healing and health freedom advocates. Some areas in the health field include: Natural therapies: Behind the mud-
slinging, two herbal substances, St. John’s wort and kava, both have as good an evidence base as allopathic medicine. For herbal medicine as a whole, and nutrition, to give two examples, a good body of evidence for health benefits exists. Home birth and midwifery: Despite
the scaremongering, studies find that for low-risk women this is on average as safe as, or safer than, birth in a hospital. Water fluoridation: While there are
only six countries (including Australia) where more than 50% of the population receives fluoridated water, and dental fluorosis is a major issue among young people, sceptics are fully in favour of the practice. Vaccination: Campaigners advocating
freedom of choice for parents commonly challenge the ‘herd immunity’ theory that purports to explain why vaccinated children are at risk from those who haven’t received vaccines.
Health benefits of organic food:
The sceptic narrative here involves such terms as ‘middle-class fad’ and ‘gullible’. This ignores the fact that many people prefer not to ingest chemicals, and also buy organic food for its environmental benefits. Nutritional supplements: While we
are told that it is possible to obtain all our nutrition from conventionally grown food, its nutritional levels have been dropping for decades. Studies have shown improved health outcomes a range of different supplements, including fish oil and a daily multivitamin. Electromagnetic radiation: We are
exposed to fields that are millions of times greater than the levels experienced prior to the industrial age. Many studies have identified biological effects below levels that are capable of producing heating of tissues. Upholding the right to choose One cornerstone of democracy is a right
to freedom of expression. Over the past couple of years, the Australian Vaccination Network has been targeted both by sceptics and the NSW Government. However, people routinely make
controversial statements that challenge the status quo on a wide range of health- related topics, and there is no vital reason why vaccination, which seems to rile the sceptic community more than any other, should be an exception. Another important issue is freedom of
choice – while in most countries adults are treated as such, and it is assumed that they are capable of thinking for themselves, in Australia this is not always the case. While the sceptics are well organised,
they are outnumbered; about 60% of Australians use some form of natural therapy each year. We deserve the freedom to use any therapy we want, so long as it is ostensibly non-harmful, and especially if it does not create long- term side-effects that are liable to be a burden on taxpayers down the track. If such a therapy is found to make a major impact in preventative health terms, then there is an argument for government subsidies such as those provided for pharmaceuticals. Ultimately, extreme ideological
positions generally fail to shed light on the truth. What we need is a nuanced
rather than a polarised debate based on all of the facts, rather than spin, and at the moment we are not getting it.
RESOURCES
PRO-HEALTH FREEDOM Australian Vaccination Network
www.avn.org.au Australian Fluoride Action
www.australianfluorideaction.com Alliance for Health Freedom Australia
www.health-freedom.com.au Alliance for Natural Health Europe
www.anh-europe.org Alliance for Natural Health International
www.anhinternational.org SCEPTIC SITES Stop the AVN
www.facebook.com/stopavn Australian Sceptics
www.sceptics.com.au Young Australian Sceptics
www.youngaussceptics.com
Martin Oliver is a writer and researcher based in Lismore (Northern NSW).
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