MMR survey shows public doubts over safety linger
By Sarah Womack, Social Affairs Correspondent
(Filed: 19/05/2003)
 

More than half of the British public wrongly believes that medical science is split about the safety of the MMR vaccine, says a survey today.

Although almost all scientific experts reject claims of a link between MMR and autism, 53 per cent of people assume that because both sides of the debate received equal media coverage, there must be equal evidence for both. Only a fifth are aware that the bulk of the evidence favours supporters of the vaccine.

The survey of 1,000 people, by the taxpayer-funded Economic and Social Research Council, will reignite debate about the MMR controversy.

The Department of Health says the triple MMR vaccine is safer for children than single jabs, which would expose them and others to a far greater risk of measles, mumps and rubella through slow or non-existent take-up.

But because of the controversy, MMR take-up is down by about 10 per cent to 84 per cent, and demand for single jabs has soared.

The survey says nearly half of the public think that, on matters of public health, the media should wait until other studies confirm findings before reporting "alarming" research.

	18 May 2003: Autism study prompts fears over mystery environmental factor
	7 April 2003: Mercury in jabs 'may contribute to autism'
	2 March 2003: Single jabs clinic shut down by red tape
	10 November 2002: Parents pay to bypass MMR in NHS surgery
	27 October 2002: Vaccines expert warns studies are useless
	15 May 2002: Blanket assurance on MMR 'a mistake'