Inpharma 1271 - 20 Jan 2001

Second dose of MMR vaccine hasvarying support

There is varying support among UK healthprofessionals for administration of a second dose ofmeasles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, say DrMarko Petrovic from the Department of Public Health,North Wales Health Authority, Flintshire, UK, andcolleagues. They explain that a second dose of MMRvaccine was added to the UK’s childhood immunisationprogramme in 1996.

Dr Petrovic and colleagues conducted a postal surveyand analysed replies from general practitioners, practicenurses and health visitors. They found that 54, 41 and41% of health professionals in the respective groupsagreed completely with the policy of giving a seconddose of MMR vaccine. When faced with a parent whostill had reservations about the second dose after alltheir questions had been answered, 72% of generalpractitioners, 42% of practice nurses and 20% of healthvisitors said that they would recommend administrationof the second dose.

Confidence in explaining the rationale behind thesecond MMR vaccine dose and knowledge about theadverse effects of the vaccine were also variable. DrPetrovic and colleagues say that ‘it is plausible . . . thatmeeting the demand for education and information andimproving understanding among health professionals ofthe rationale of the second dose will increase the numberof positive recommendations’.Petrovic M, et al. Second dose of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine:questionnaire survey of health professionals. BMJ 322: 82-85, 13 Jan2001 800852329

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Inpharma 20 Jan 2001 No. 12711173-8324/10/1271-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved