Openness is key to winning the war over MMR
Openness and communication between experts and the public is key to winning the war over MMR, says an expert in this week's BMJ....... In 1998, MMR vaccinations in the United Kingdom reached 92% of its targets. Yet by 2002, after claims of a possible relation between MMR and autism, the United Kingdom lost considerable ground. One of the lowest levels of coverage of MMR is now found in London, at...Have parents behaved irrationally towards MMR?
Parents seem to neglect a real risk to their children (injuries from road crashes) but amplify an insignificant risk (autism caused by MMR vaccine), argues a senior researcher in this week's BMJ. But does this suggest that parents are irrational? ... ...Paul Bellaby of Salford University considers the public perception of three risks to children: an insignificant risk (autism from vaccination), a...Organ-transplant patients at particluar risk from low MMR vaccine uptake
A letter in this week's issue of THE LANCET highlights how low uptake of the MMR vaccine could be putting patients with compromised immunity-such as those who have undergone organ transplantation-at particular risk of measles. The letter describes how two children with kidney transplants (and therefore unable to receive the second dose of MMR vaccine), developed complications of measles.... ......No evidence that MMR vaccine is associated with autism or bowel disease
There is no evidence that MMR or single measles vaccines are associated with autism or inflammatory bowel disease, researchers announced today....... Their conclusion follows the most in-depth analysis of the scientific literature to date, and provides clear reassurance for parents and health professionals regarding the safety of MMR vaccination....... Their findings will be published in Clinical...