The government's support for the combined MMR vaccine has been vindicated by new research.

A new academic study has found that there is no link between the controversial measles, mumps and rubella injection and an alleged new type of "MMR-triggered" autism.

The report from Professor Brent Taylor of the Royal Free Hospital in London suggested that parents who blamed the jab for autism may have been influenced by media coverage of the issue.

Professor Taylor claims to have uncovered "compelling evidence" that the triple vaccine is safe.

Another Royal Free researcher, Dr Andrew Wakefield, triggered the dispute in 1998 with his case that autism had increased seven times over in the 10 years the MMR vaccine had been in use.

But using data spanning a 19 year period Professor Taylor argued that the rise in autism cases is coincidental and can be put down to better diagnosis of the disease.

Having studied records for five areas of north London between 1979 and 1998, Professor Taylor's team found an apparent rise in autism cases until 1992, after which the number levelled off.

They also stress that the age at which children were diagnosed had fallen substantially.

"This levelling off, together with the reducing age at diagnosis, suggests the earlier recorded rise in prevalence was not a real increase but was likely due to factors such as increased recognition, a greater willingness on the part of educationalists and families to accept the diagnosis, and better recording systems," Professor Taylor said.

Recent research from Cardiff University's journalism school also found that press reporting of the scientific row misrepresented the weight of evidence.

Last year the prime minister came under intense pressure to reveal whether his own son had received the combined vaccine.

The chief medical officer led efforts to convince parents to take up the recommended inoculation amid fears that a potentially deadly measles epidemic could spread through inner cities.

Pressure was also put on ministers to sanction the use of single vaccinations in the wake of the hotly disputed evidence that the combined injection for one-year-olds could lead to autism in later childhood.

Department of Health officials have resisted the pressure and stressed the huge scientific majority in favour of MMR and the international consensus on its safety.

But many parents have opted out of the NHS and taken up the less proven single jabs.

Doctors fear the use of these will cause the diseases to spread as children are less likely to receive all three inoculations.

However several GPs have administered them in the belief that parents who refuse to give their toddlers the MMR jab can be talked into some form of protection.