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Thousands of UK kids need re-vaccination with MMR

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Last Updated: 2003-07-08 13:05:17 -0400 (Reuters Health)

LONDON (Reuters Health) - Britain's Department of Health said on Tuesday that thousands of children might be at risk of measles, mumps and rubella because two private clinics had not followed correct immunisation procedures.

In an urgent message to all family doctors, the department said all children who received the three vaccines separately at the clinics should be re-immunised with the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab.

"The present estimate is that this could involve up to 40,000 immunisations going back over a 10-year period," said Dr. David Salisbury, head of the department's immunisation and communicable disease team.

There has been significant demand for single vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella in Britain following controversial research suggesting that the combined MMR vaccine might be linked to an increased risk of autism.

Officials have repeatedly said the research was flawed, but some parents were not reassured and began paying private clinics for the single jabs.

Salisbury said the two clinics involved in this case, at Elstree Aerodrome in Hertfordshire and Hillsborough Arena in Shieffield, had closed, as they were not registered with the National Care Standards Commission.

The problem with the single vaccines came to light earlier this year, but at the time it was believed that just over 1,000 children had received vaccines that were not properly made up or administered during the second half of 2002.

More information has now become available showing that "aberrant" immunisation practices dated back before last summer.

"Our two greatest concerns are that the clinics had not followed the correct procedures recommended by the manufacturer for making up and administering the vaccines," Salisbury added in his letter.

One worry is that the vaccines were made up in a way that might have made them less effective than normal.

"This means that some children who have been vaccinated may not be adequately protected against one or more of the diseases for which they received the vaccine," Salisbury said.

He said a second concern is that the vaccines could have been contaminated because of the way they were prepared.

"This could have increased the risk of children suffering bacterial infections from the immunisation, or greater side effects to the vaccines."

Parents whose child had suffered an infection or adverse reactions after receiving the vaccines should inform their doctor so that the reaction could be reported to the Committee on Safety of Medicines.

The health department said that starting tomorrow it would use advertising and the media to advise parents who had used the two clinics to have their children properly re-vaccinated with the triple MMR jab.

"This applies whatever age your previously vaccinated child is now. You should see your GP about arranging this."

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