MMR Jab:

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http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=5995804

NEWS.scotsman.com
 Scottish News direct from Scotland Sunday, 4th May 2003
1:14pm (UK)
 MMR Jab: ‘Overwhelming Evidence It Is Effective and Safe’

By Julie Wheldon, Health Correspondent, PA News

 
There is no convincing evidence that the triple measles, mumps and rubella vaccine causes autism or bowel inflammation, a new review said today.

Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, which produces independent reports for doctors and pharmacists, looked at the scientific evidence surrounding the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab.

It said evidence pointed overwhelmingly to MMR as the most effective and safest way of protecting children from measles, mumps and rubella.

In 1998, a scientific paper by Andrew Wakefield reported a pattern of bowel inflammation in 12 children who had autism.

His paper said that in eight of the cases the parents and doctors felt the symptoms of autism began soon after routine MMR immunisation.

However the DTB, which is published by the Consumers’ Association, said the evidence from the research was very weak and did not indicate that MMR caused the autism or bowel problems.

It also said that many other large studies had found no evidence of a link between MMR, autism and intestinal problems.

It was extremely unlikely that all these studies missed a link and therefore much more likely that no such link exists, the DTB said.

The review warned that single vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella have never been tested in pre-school-age children.

Because they take longer to provide protection against the diseases, single vaccines also leave children and other vulnerable people at risk from the infections, it said.

Professor Joe Collier, editor of DTB, said: “Evidence shows that providing individual vaccines as an alternative is not a sensible strategy and would inevitably lead to an increase in outbreaks of measles, mumps and rubella.

“DTB advises that parents should continue to vaccinate their children with MMR and discuss with their doctor any concerns they may have.”

 

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