Dr. Joseph Mercola promotes an “all-natural” solution to wellness that doesn’t involve the use of many modern medicines, or vaccines. While Dr. Mercola is skeptical about many scientific innovations, including genetically modified foods, his views on vaccines are particularly dangerous.

This week on his website, Mercola, he published an article: “Whooping Cough Vaccine Not as Effective as Thought and Spreads Through Those Vaccinated.” The article begins by laying out very real concerns with the whooping cough vaccine. Researchers have discovered that immunity wanes over time and that infections can spread even among those who are vaccinated. Mercola’s solution, however, isn’t to encourage adults to get another dose of the vaccine, but instead he offers “15 Natural Remedies for Whooping Cough.”

These remedies include:

• Acupuncture,
• Massage essential oils into chest and back,
• Massage coconut oil into skin,
• Soak feet in fresh ginger root boiled in water for 20 minutes,
• Avoid mucus-forming foods, such as milk, flour and eggs,

While none of these remedies are likely to harm a patient with whooping cough, Mercola’s all-natural recommendations are not a substitute for proper medical attention and should not lull readers into thinking vaccination isn’t necessary. Though Mercola spends a great deal of time in his article discussing vaccine-related injuries, an overwhelming volume of research shows vaccines are safe and help prevent deadly disease.

Whooping cough can be deadly in infants and outbreaks aren’t going away any time soon. Vaccine immunity wanes with age—if you’re going to be around infants too young to be vaccinated, ignore Dr. Mercola and get vaccinated again!