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March 6, 2002

"Majority Support Use of MMR Vaccine"

Irish Times (www.ireland.com) (03/04/02) P. 1; Brennock, Mark

Seventy-eight percent of the 1,000 people over the age of 18 who were polled in an Irish Times/MRBI survey said they would allow their child to receive the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.  A total of 9 percent of parents said they would deny their child the vaccine, while 8 percent were unsure about their decision and 5 percent had no opinion.  Reasons parents cited for refusing to have their child vaccinated with MMR include the alleged fear of autism, other medical factors, a preference for separate vaccines, and a lack of information.  Statistics show that only 70 percent of two-year-olds in Ireland have received their MMR immunization, according to the National Disease Surveillance Center, which noted a significant decrease in MMR immunizations.  The decrease has experts concerned about an increase in outbreaks of measles and birth defects to infants whose mothers were exposed to rubella while pregnant.

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.