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Collections under which this article appears: Other Public Health Drugs: immunological products and vaccines

BMJ 2002;325:66 ( 13 July )
 

News extra

London mayor attacked for doing "irreparable damage" on MMR

Annabel Ferriman BMJ

London’s mayor, Ken Livingstone, was attacked by representatives at the BMA’s annual representative meeting last week for saying that the baby he and his partner are expecting will not be given the triple jab against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). Mr Livingstone said that his child would have single vaccines only and advised other parents to do the same.

Dr Anthony Grewal, a GP from Hillingdon, west London, asked the conference: "How unhelpful can you get? I call upon him and indeed all public figures to avoid confusing and unscientific statements.

"To Mr Livingstone, I say, when you take my advice on the care of newts, I will take your advice on the care of children. Levels of uptake in London are already dangerously low. Measles stalks the streets. Measles maims and kills children.

"When London children are disabled or die, Mr Livingstone, as they surely will unless we change current trends, then you will share the blame. You stick to newts and the Tube, and leave our children’s health to us."

Dr Grewal’s words were echoed by those of Dr Ian Bogle, chairman of the BMA's council. Speaking at a press conference, he said: "It is an outrageous statement for someone in his position to make. His mandate does not extend to giving advice that he is not capable of giving and which is not within his knowledge base at all.

"He is in a position where he is listened to. He will have done irreparable damage—damage that it will take a long time to put right. "He should apologise and retract it [his statement]. He should say that this is outside his knowledge."

Earlier in the conference, representatives passed a motion recommending that the system of incentive payments made to GPs for reaching certain immunisation targets should be abandoned.

Representatives said that the incentives, which can be worth £2 865 ($4361; €4475) per GP, were damaging relationships between doctors and patients. Some parents felt that they were being pressurised into having the MMR vaccine, just so that the GP could reach his target and earn his incentive payment.

Dr Simon Fradd, joint deputy chairman of the BMA’s General Practitioners Committee, said: "The issue over payments is getting between the patient and the doctor. There is mistrust by the public because they realise the financial interest involved."

The conference also passed a motion, calling on the BMA’s board of science to produce a report looking at the advantages and disadvantages of compulsory immunisation for all children.
 
 

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Collections under which this article appears: Other Public Health Drugs: immunological products and vaccines

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When resistance becomes a duty

Gurli Bagnall

bmj.com, 14 Jul 2002 [Full text]

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