UK Government Denies It Is Reviewing Policy on MMR Vaccine
LONDON (Reuters) - The British government denied on
Wednesday it was reviewing its policy on a triple measles, mumps and rubella
(MMR) vaccine amid fears a drop in the number of children having the jab might
spark a measles epidemic.
Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman insisted MMR -- which some
parents fear may be linked to autism and bowel disorders -- was entirely safe
and said it was used in more than 90 countries around the world.
He accused journalists of whipping up "media hysteria" over the
issue and warned that increasing unfounded fears about MMR could have dangerous
consequences.
"MMR is safe," the spokesman said. "Five hundred million
doses of MMR have been given in 90 different countries."
"Of course we keep the evidence under constant review. But all the
evidence points in one direction and we have to be clear about that," he
said. "Measles is a very dangerous disease."
Eight new cases of measles among children were confirmed in south London on
Wednesday, bringing the total number with the disease in the capital to 11.
Another 18 suspected cases are under investigation in London, as well as four
possible cases in the north of England.
Opposition Conservatives have called for parents worried about the MMR
vaccine to be allowed to choose three single jab alternatives for their
children.
Speaking on BBC radio, the Tories' health spokesman Liam Fox said MMR was
the best option for children, but with immunization rates falling more in UK
than anywhere else a single jab option was necessary. "The alternative is
not as good as MMR, but it is a lot better than nothing," he said.
Latest full government figures -- dating back to the three-month period from
June to September last year -- show MMR vaccination rates were then at an
average of 85%.
Since then, some government reports have showed the uptake fell to below 65%
in some parts of Britain this year, fueling fears of a measles epidemic.
Blair's spokesman said the government was not in favor of the single jab
option, since it requires parents to take their children to the doctor six
separate times to get the full vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella.
He said medical advice was that immunization rates tended to go down if the
three separate vaccines were promoted instead of MMR, since parents did not
have the time to follow the vaccination process through.
The Sun tabloid newspaper said on Wednesday that Blair, who has become
personally embroiled in the MMR row by refusing to say whether his 20-month-old
son Leo has had the triple vaccine, was rethinking government policy to promote
MMR.
But Blair's spokesman categorically denied the story.
"The story is wrong. Full stop, no equivocation. It is wrong," he
said.
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Reuters Health Information 2002. © 2002 Reuters Ltd |
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