Doctors' leaders today launched a furious attack on Ken Livingstone after he advised London parents not to give their children the MMR jab.

Delegates at the British Medical Association annual conference in Harrogate accused the Mayor of "breathtaking irresponsibility" in calling for the introduction of single vaccines as an alternative to the triple jab.

Four prominent London GPs have written to the Evening Standard saying that Mr Livingstone would have to share responsibility if any children died as a result of a measles outbreak because of low MMR uptake.

The letter is signed by Dr Tony Grewal, Dr Gillian Braunold, Dr Chaand Nagpaul and Dr Laurence Buckman.

They say: "Mr Livingstone does not have the right to put the health and well-being of London children at risk by ill-informed advice to parents to avoid MMR vaccination.

"Measles has already raised its ugly head in London as a result of falling immunity rates and Mr Livingstone must share responsibility for the disability and even death that will inevitably result."

The Mayor's comments, made on a radio programme yesterday, are to be condemned at a debate on MMR at the conference later today.

On the programme, Mr Livingstone said: "This whole debate is about administrative convenience. My advice to Londoners is that if you can, get it done separately."

He suggested that the Government was only in favour of the MMR combination rather than three separate injections in order to save money.

He added that there was "no way" he would let his soon-to-be-born child have the MMR vaccine.

Dr Grewal told the Evening Standard today: "It was an unbelievably and breathtakingly irresponsible thing for the Mayor to say.

"If one child dies or is seriously brain-damaged as a result of measles, I will point the finger at Ken Livingstone.

"This seems to me to be a cynical attempt to draw attention away from the other troubles he has been having recently." Dr

Tony Stanton, the head of London's GPs, said that the Mayor's office had snubbed numerous attempts by the BMA and local medical committees to advise him on the capital's health issues.

He said: "We did try to talk to the Mayor but we got nowhere. He didn't seem to be interested in what we might have to say.

"This will not help London GPs who are already having huge problems persuading parents to have their children immunised.

"It is extremely unhelpful and seems to have been based on little understanding of all the evidence that says MMR is safe and effective."

He added: "Ken Livingstone has done potentially years of damage in London."

Dr John Chisholm, chairman of the BMA's GPs committee said: "It seems to have been an extremely unfortunate comment on the part of the Mayor.

"International research overwhelmingly points to the safety and efficacy of MMR and no link has ever been proven with autism and bowel disease.

"Doctors do what is best for their patients, not what is administratively convenient."

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© Associated Newspapers Ltd., 03 July 2002
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