Richard Halvorsen

Richard Halvorsen worked as a GP (family doctor) in central London for over 20 years where he integrated acupuncture, and other complementary therapies, into orthodox general medical practice. He left the NHS in 2009 to concentrate on his interests of childhood immunisation and acupuncture.

Richard founded BabyJabs, a unique dedicated children’s immunisation service in London where he works as medical director. He offers parents a choice of single and small combination vaccines for their child and, in consultation with parents, prepare personalised immunisation schedules for children, taking into account their personal situation and needs.

Richard is concerned that the vaccine ‘debate’ is often polarised between those who are either obsessively pro-vaccine or totally opposed to any sort of vaccination. I find both these viewpoints extreme and unhelpful to parents who are confused and unsure about which immunisations to give their child.

He believes there should be a greater opportunity for calm discussion about the benefits and side-effects of immunisation.

Richard is not anti-vaccine (he would hardly run an immunisation clinic if I were) but he does have concerns about the quantity and frequency of vaccines given to very young babies.

Richard has also established City Acupuncture and work as a medical acupuncturist at The Broadgate Spine and Joint Clinic in the heart of the City of London.

Richard studied acupuncture for two years at the British College of Acupuncture in London shortly after qualifying as a doctor in London in 1982. He has since studied both traditional Chinese and Western medical acupuncture in China and the UK and has now been practicing acupuncture for nearly 30 years.