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http://adc.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/abstract/archdischild;87/6/493

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Collections under which this article appears: Other Neurology Drugs: immunological products and vaccines Infants

Archives of Disease in Childhood 2002;87:493-494
© 2002 Archives of Disease in Childhood
 

Recall bias, MMR, and autism

N Andrews¹, E Miller², B Taylor³, R Lingam³, A Simmons³, J Stowe² and P Waight²

¹ Statistics Unit, Public Health Laboratory Service, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, UK
² Immunisation Division, Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, Public Health Laboratory Service
³ Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Free and University College Medical School, Royal Free Campus, University College London, London NW3 2PF, UK

Correspondence to:
Dr E Miller, Immunisation Division, Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, Public Health Laboratory Service, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, UK;
emiller@phls.org.uk

ABSTRACT
Parents of autistic children with regressive symptoms who were diagnosed after the publicity alleging a link with measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine tended to recall the onset as shortly after MMR more often than parents of similar children who were diagnosed prior to the publicity. This is consistent with the recall bias expected under such circumstances.

Keywords: MMR vaccine; autism; recall bias

Abbreviations: MMR, measles, mumps, and rubella; RI, relative incidence

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