Jun 25 2002
 

By Emma Brady, Birmingham Post

A Birmingham couple have put their youngest children on a six-month private waiting list for single vaccinations rather than risk the MMR jab after their siblings developed autism.

It follows controversy over conflicting studies into the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine which are causing families untold heartache as they attempt to do what is best for their children.

Among them are Jonathan and Kay Harris, of Sheldon, who have opted for single vaccinations after two of their children, who were given MMR jabs, developed autism.

Thomas, aged ten, and eight-year-old Oliver both suffer different forms of autism which were diagnosed before a study linking MMR to the condition was published in 1998.

Now their younger siblings have joined a six-month waiting list at the only clinic in Birmingham privately providing the single injections.

Although it will cost £280 to vaccinate both Maisie and Alistair, aged three and two, their parents firmly believe they have no other choice.

Mr Harris, the regional spokesman for action group JABS, said they both felt forced into going private.

He said: "Like any parents we didn't think twice about having Thomas and Oliver vaccinated with the MMR jab when it was introduced.

"But when doctors diagnosed Thomas with autism we did wonder why nobody had told us there might be risks involved with the jab.

"Why should we be forced to go private to get the single jabs? Really, to all intents and purposes, this is a human rights issue.

"We should never have been put in this position in the first place." Worcestershire MP Julie Kirk-bride (Con Bromsgrove) is campaigning for the single jabs to be made available on the NHS. But on Friday her Private Member's Bill failed to receive a second reading in the Commons, effectively torpedoing chances of it becoming law.

Dr John Oakley, whose practice in Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, has already given more than 1,000 single jabs to children this year, said the Bill was one hope for many parents. "Many are desperate by the time they contact the surgery because many GPs tell them its MMR or nothing," said Dr Oakley.

"But I don't think the Government will back down and I doubt anything will change unless there's a measles epidemic or Julie Kirkbride's Bill is passed.

"If there is a problem with MMR then they will face a massive litigation bill for not offering parents an alternative." The injections cost £50 for measles, £45 for mumps and the rubella jab is included in the doctor's £45 consultancy fee.

Mr Harris and his wife, who are full-time carers, say the cost of vaccinating Maisie and Alistair - £280 - does not come cheap.

They said they were forced into the move by their GP's refusal to consider any option other than the MMR jab.

Mr Harris, aged 43, believes the confusion over recent studies may lead to thousands being left unvaccinated. He said: "Parents are damned if they do and damned if they don't due to the conflicting evidence, high prices if they go private and very little help from the health service."

Mrs Harris, aged 38, said: "It never crossed our minds that protecting our children against measles, mumps and rubella could lead to this. We never thought it could go wrong.

"When Thomas was diagnosed with autism, we thought it was very convenient as the doctors knew there was history of it in the family with Oliver.

"But when I had a 20-week scan with Maisie I asked for a genetics test because I wanted to find out if she was in danger too, but there was no trace of an autistic gene.

"So we know there must be a link between the jab and their condition because if it was genetic Maisie and Alistair would be affected too."