Parents vote for single jabs

The government is planning an MMR promotion campaign

A poll on Wednesday suggests three out of four parents think the government should introduce three single jabs instead of the controversial MMR vaccine.

The results of the opinion poll - carried out by The Guardian newspaper and ICM - reflect concern among some parents about the safety of the combined vaccine.

A total of 73% of those questioned said they would accept the MMR if nothing else was on offer.

But a growing number - currently 19% - said they were willing to pay to give their children single jabs.

It also revealed that a total of 4% of parents with young children said they would not inoculate their children against mumps, measles or rubella.

Defend

The survey's results show ministers' strategy to convince parents of the safety of the MMR is still not working, says The Guardian.

It believes the government's forthcoming advertising campaign promoting the vaccine would be better targeted at doctors, who their poll revealed to be more trusted by parents.

In the light of recent coverage, such poll findings are not a surprise

DOH spokesman

The Department of Health is already said to be considering a "big brother" style summons to parents who refuse the MMR from their doctor.

The Daily Mail reports the option, one of a number being consider by the DOH, could mean parents receiving a letter from their GP inviting them to defend their stand against the jab.

The poll showed those questioned would place more trust in doctors.

Just 20% of those questioned said they would put "a lot" of trust in advice from politicians and officials, 30% said they would disregard it altogether.

By contrast, some 63% said they would put "a lot" of trust in doctors' views on MMR.

Support among parents for the single combined vaccine - for measles, mumps and rubella - has been falling since the revelations of a possible link with autism and bowel disease.

For the Guardian/ICM poll, a random sample of 1,003 adults aged over 18 were quizzed by telephone for the poll between 15-17 February.

'Research'

These included a mix of parents and adults without children.

A Department of Health spokesman said that providing single vaccines would decrease vaccination coverage rather than increase it.

The spokesman said: "In the light of recent coverage, such poll findings are not a surprise.

"However, providing single vaccines would decrease vaccination coverage rather than increase it, and there is much more research on the safety of MMR compared to the single vaccines."

He said the government believe MMR to be "the safest and most effective way to protect children against measles, mumps and rubella.

Protest

"We are making sure parents are invited in ahead of the time when they are due vaccination and are provided with clear and objective information about MMR so they can consider it in their own time."

England's chief nursing officer Sarah Mullally, writing in this week's Nursing Standard, said that the DOH is determined to increase the number of children who have been immunised.

A booklet - outlining the case for the vaccination - is being sent to 35,000 primary health care staff across England to help them promote the vaccination, says the Nursing Standard.

But the campaign against the vaccine is also growing.

On 23 March a national "MMR Day" is being planned by pressure groups to protest against the government's policy, according to Wednesday's Daily Mail.