MMR adverts are a waste, say autism groups
(Filed: 12/02/2002)

AUTISM organisations in Britain and America criticise the Government today for wasting money on television advertising to promote the MMR vaccination.

Ten parent support, research and campaigning organisations concerned with autism, bowel disease and vaccination say in a letter to The Telegraph that "no amount of advertising" will change the minds of parents.

"The Government has failed to address the fact that too many parents now have first or second-hand experience of children affected following the MMR triple vaccine," they say.

The Department of Health is commissioning a new advertisement to promote MMR in the face of falling vaccination rates and a growing demand from parents who want a choice between the triple vaccine or single doses.

A year ago the Government launched a £3 million campaign of which £1.2 million has been spent mostly on information packs for parents and health professionals.

"We are now looking at a new TV ad," a Department of Health spokesman said. "

At the present no time or date or funding has been agreed." The spokesman said that by the end of the week leaflets would be made available to parents at nurseries but the department had no intention of making MMR compulsory.

Karen Walker, a director at the National Day Nurseries Association, said they had had preliminary discussions with the department.

The association will distribute NHS leaflets through its 1,600 member nurseries in England and Wales.

A group of concerned parents launched a website yesterday seeking one million signatures for a petition urging the Government to give parents a choice.

By 3.30pm yesterday they had received 27,619 responses on www.mmrpetition.com.