http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health/story.jsp?story=119244
MMR: a policy in meltdown
* New fears over mumps outbreaks
* CMO to issue public health warning
* Confusion over jab take-up figures
By Colin Brown, Political Editor
10 February 2002
Internal links
Public
health warning on TV to push MMR
Cases of
mumps rise by 800 per cent in five years
Eye
witness: Dr Elliman and a bad outbreak of mistrust in Nappy Valley
Raising
Jamie hasn't been easy. But I wouldn't have him any other way
The Government's embattled health
department, embroiled in a row over the safety of the MMR vaccine, suffered
another blow yesterday when it was disclosed that Britain faces widespread outbreaks
of mumps among thousands of teenagers who missed out on the triple vaccine.
The warning, by a government adviser on public
health trends, that 20 per cent of Britain's teenagers are vulnerable to mumps
– a distressing viral disease which can in rare cases cause sterility – is a
fresh challenge to Tony Blair's efforts to shore up confidence in his
Government's strategy.
Dr Mary Ramsay, consultant in public health at the
Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS), calls for GPs to target
11-17-year-olds who were not immunised against mumps before the MMR vaccine was
introduced in 1998. "Over the next year or two just about everywhere will
have mumps outbreaks," she says.
The threat of widespread mumps infections –
following mumps clusters last year in the North and West Midlands – adds to
rising alarm in Whitehall at the growing threat of childhood illnesses due to
the fall in take-up of MMR in parts of the country.
Underlining the seriousness of the crisis, Sir Liam
Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer, is this weekend considering the
extraordinary step of broadcasting an appeal to the nation as part of his
campaign to restore the confidence of parents who fear a link between MMR and
autism, despite repeated government assurances as to its safety.
The tragic consequences of autism will be made
clear today at a service at St Paul's Cathedral for sufferers of the disorder,
which is still a mystery to the medical profession.
The Government insists its policy of offering only
the MMR vaccine is right. Quarterly figures issued last week for the end of
last September, showed a small increase in take-up of the vaccine and the Prime
Minister's official spokesman declared: "We are winning the argument that
MMR is safe."
However, ministers are in the dark about the impact
of the latest MMR scares. A spokesman at the PHLS, which collates the
statistics, said the figures for January would not be available until October.
The Department of Health's national performance indicators issued last week show
a fall of 0.3 per cent in the proportion of children being immunised by the age
of two against all diseases, year on year.
No 10 last week blamed sections of the press for
undermining the government message that MMR is safe. Ministers fear the public
no longer trusts politicians.
Professor Donaldson is writing an open letter this
week to 36,000 health centres, including hospitals and 12,000 GP surgeries,
challenging claims by Dr Andrew Wakefield, former consultant at the Royal Free
Hospital, London, that there could be a link between MMR and autism.
Full-page advertisements are being taken out in
national newspapers this week carrying an MMR fact sheet for parents, signed by
Professor Donaldson and Sarah Mullally, the chief nursing officer. GPs are
being told to chase up parents whose children have not had the MMR vaccine.
Mr Blair used the Downing Street website this
weekend to give the clearest hint yet that his baby, Leo, has had the jab.
"I would never ask any parent to do something for their child which I did
not believe to be safe and right for my own children," he says.
Friends of Alan Milburn have issued clear hints
that the Secretary of State for Health's children have had the MMR vaccine.
Also from the Health
section.
Nurseries to warn parents of MMR rate
Troubleshooters to be sent into ailing
hospitals
Cost of pills to conquer depression hits
£310m
Troubleshooters to take over 'worst'
hospitals
MMR chief blames the media for jab
'errors'
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