Statistics from the Medicines Control Agency (MCA), which monitors the import of unlicensed medicines, shows the demand for the single measles vaccine rose more than five times last year from 11,818 in 2001 to 60,291 in 2002.

The Department of Health keeps no record of how many children actually receive the single measles vaccine, but research by the News Show suggests almost 60,000 single measles vaccines were given to children in the UK last year.

Based on estimates given to us by 34 of the major clinics, 57,744 children were placed on single vaccination programmes in the UK in 2002. The private clinic Direct Health told us they already had 18,000 children registered on SepVax courses in 2003.

Many other clinics told us of a record rise in demand for the single vaccines in the past year.

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