20 DRUG REACTIONS Parental concerns over MMR vaccine grow The seeds of concern about the safety of MMR vaccination have been sown among parents and health professionals must ensure that parents can base their decisions regarding the vaccination of their children on hard science and evidence, says Dr Angus Nicoll and colleagues from the UK. This advice is given following the publication of a report by Dr AI Wakefield and colleagues of a possible link between measles. mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and the onset of gastrointestinal and behavioural abnormalities in vaccinated children. * Dr Nicoll and colleagues believe that this most recent vaccine scare is highly reminiscent of the scare over pertussis vaccination in the 1970s that resulted in much suffering and many deaths from pertussis worldwide. The vaccination policy of the UK has hugely reduced the incidence of many diseases and as a result vaccine safety has assumed greater importance, especially to parents. However, Dr Nicoll and colleagues stress that 'any safety issue requires cool scientific consideration'. According to Dr Nicoll and colleagues, proven serious vaccine reactions are characterised by specific clinical or laboratory findings and they believe that the non-specific nature of the developmental and gut abnormalities seen in the cases described by Dr Wakefield and colleagues is striking and no precise case definition is given. They also believe that epidemiological evidence is unsupportive and conclude that 'unproved theories are no basis for dropping a vaccine of proved global safety and effectiveness'. MMR vaccination rates have begun to decline and health professionals involved in immunisation are facing questions from concerned patients. Dr Nicoll and colleagues stress that while no vaccine can be guaranteed to be without risk, this must be weighed against the huge advantages of protection against disease. * See Inpharma Jl27: 20. 7 Mar 1998; 800631908 Nicoll A, Elliman D, Ross E. MMR vaccination and autism 1998: deja vu - pertussis and brain damage 1974? Briti<h Medical lournal316: 715·716, 7 Mar 1998 11006'6393 Inpharma-14 Mar 1998 No. 1128 1173-832419811128·ooo201$01.0If> Ad;. International Limited 1998. All rights I'8Mf'Y8d

Parental concerns over MMR vaccine grow

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20 DRUG REACTIONS

Parental concerns over MMR vaccine grow

The seeds of concern about the safety of MMR vaccination have been sown among parents and health professionals must ensure that parents can base their decisions regarding the vaccination of their children on hard science and evidence, says Dr Angus Nicoll and colleagues from the UK. This advice is given following the publication of a report by Dr AI Wakefield and colleagues of a possible link between measles. mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and the onset of gastrointestinal and behavioural abnormalities in vaccinated children. *

Dr Nicoll and colleagues believe that this most recent vaccine scare is highly reminiscent of the scare over pertussis vaccination in the 1970s that resulted in much suffering and many deaths from pertussis worldwide. The vaccination policy of the UK has hugely reduced the incidence of many diseases and as a result vaccine safety has assumed greater importance, especially to parents. However, Dr Nicoll and colleagues stress that 'any safety issue requires cool scientific consideration'.

According to Dr Nicoll and colleagues, proven serious vaccine reactions are characterised by specific clinical or laboratory findings and they believe that the non-specific nature of the developmental and gut abnormalities seen in the cases described by Dr Wakefield and colleagues is striking and no precise case definition is given. They also believe that epidemiological evidence is unsupportive and conclude that 'unproved theories are no basis for dropping a vaccine of proved global safety and effectiveness'.

MMR vaccination rates have begun to decline and health professionals involved in immunisation are facing questions from concerned patients. Dr Nicoll and colleagues stress that while no vaccine can be guaranteed to be without risk, this must be weighed against the huge advantages of protection against disease. * See Inpharma Jl27: 20. 7 Mar 1998; 800631908 Nicoll A, Elliman D, Ross E. MMR vaccination and autism 1998: deja vu -pertussis and brain damage 1974? Briti<h Medical lournal316: 715·716,

7 Mar 1998 11006'6393

Inpharma-14 Mar 1998 No. 1128 1173-832419811128·ooo201$01.0If> Ad;. International Limited 1998. All rights I'8Mf'Y8d