Poll blow to Blair on MMR safety
By Philip Johnston, Home Affairs Editor
(Filed: 09/02/2002)

TONY BLAIR is losing the battle to convince parents that the MMR vaccine is safe, according to a poll carried out exclusively for The Telegraph.

Among those with small children, the Prime Minister's refusal to say whether his baby son Leo has had the jab has contributed to people's concern.

An overwhelming majority believes they should be able to choose whether to give their child the combined measles, mumps and rubella jab or to administer the vaccines in single doses.

The survey, conducted by YouGov.com, coincided with a renewed effort by Mr Blair to persuade a deeply sceptical public that MMR is not linked to autism and bowel disease.

Despite a barrage of reassuring opinion from medical experts and ministers in recent days, one in five parents with children under five or those planning a baby thinks MMR is unsafe.

A small number even think it is "very dangerous" and negative opinion about MMR is far higher than for other vaccines such as whooping cough or the BCG.

About 70 per cent said they regarded the vaccine as safe and it is apparent that recent publicity means the concerns of some people would not be allayed even if the injections were given individually.

The public appears strongly exercised about the restrictions placed by the Government on a parent's ability to choose. Almost three quarters of respondents with young children said the Health Department should offer both the MMR and three separate vaccinations.

Only one in four wanted the Government to continue with its policy of offering only the triple injection. Given a choice, a small majority would continue to use the MMR vaccine but 43 per cent said they would opt for the three individually administered injections.

Without the choice, almost one parent in three would pay £250 for the separate vaccinations if they could afford it.

The findings of the survey, carried out among more than 2,500 respondents, will be a blow to Mr Blair as he tries to shore up the credibility of the Government's policy. There appears to be little faith in the Government or its pronouncements.

Forty per cent said they did not trust the Health Department's advice on the issue and Mr Blair's refusal to state unequivocally whether Leo has had the MMR jab has dented confidence in the vaccine.

Almost 40 per cent of parents with children under five said Mr Blair's position had made them personally less confident about MMR.

There have been reports that Leo has had the MMR vaccine, though this has not been confirmed by his parents. In remarks posted yesterday on the 10 Downing Street website, Mr Blair said: "It is the responsibility of all of us, as parents, to ensure our children's health. Against measles, mumps and rubella, the combined MMR vaccine is the best way of doing that."

Alan Milburn, the Health Secretary, said that research suggesting a link between MMR and autism was "deeply flawed." With 500 million MMR vaccinations given in 90 countries, the triple vaccine was the best way of combating diseases, he said.

Sir Liam Donaldson, the chief medical officer for England, said this week that offering single vaccines would amount to "playing Russian roulette" with children's lives. The facts were "overwhelming" in favour of MMR's safety.

New evidence published by the British Medical Journal also found no association between MMR and bowel problems or developmental regression in children with autism.

The study by researchers at the Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, and the Public Health Laboratory Service provides "no support for an MMR-associated 'new variant' form of autism". Prof Brent Taylor, who led the research, said: "I hope that this is the end of the argument."

However, the scepticism uncovered in the poll shows little sign of abating and it is affecting the immunisation programme. Latest figures show that between last July and September, the take-up of MMR fell to 84 per cent against a recommended level of 95 per cent.