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September 20, 2002
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS
"MMR Scare Has Led to Huge Slump in Child Immunization"
London Independent (www.independent.co.uk) (09/20/02) P. 4; Laurance, Jeremy
New figures from the U.K. Department of Health show major decreases in child vaccination, due in part to fears that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine could be linked to autism or bowel disease. Vaccination rates for polio, diphtheria, and tetanus have fallen below the 95 percent "herd" immunity level, with pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and MMR coverage also dropping; only meningitis C vaccination rates went up, health officials said. A Public Health Laboratory Service spokesman says that part of the reason for the falloff may also be complacency, since some diseases have disappeared from the community. Scientific consensus holds that the MMR vaccine is safe, and no other research group has confirmed its link to the [postulated] health problems, but governmental reassurances have not stopped the drop in confidence.
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