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Your Comments on MMR: Every Parents' Choice
Thank you for your emails. We have received 1000s of emails from you. We will continue to post your comments for the rest of the week. I have an autistic severely autistic niece. Surely it is for politicians to make a pragmatic decision on this issue? We expect scientists to demand proof. I am one myself. But they are not in power. WE put politicians in power to way up the balances - and in this case there seems no doubt that singe vaccines are preferable to the triple. Autism is a dreadful condition. We can allow such a condition to increase due to our own incompetence at proving a link. Remember BSE!! Judy Marsland Keswick
I would like to know if there will be any detailed follow-up of the measles cases recently. There should be complete histories of what vaccines these children did and did not have. Also, any other past history of disease, illness, infections, use of anti-biotics, etc. A complete health history concerning their immune system responsiveness. A breakdown of the children, the degree of individual outbreak and the specific percentages and number who have been given the MMR and those who haven't among those who have confirmed, tested positive for measles. We need to know a true, real breakdown to determine if the outbreak is actually due to the decrease in uptake, the actual lack of receiving the MMR made the individual more at risk, and if that outbreak was actually a 'health risk' to the child and community and not just assuming that the decrease in uptake is 'causing' a few cases of measles in a particular pre-school or town.
I have a two year old who has developed a bowel problem shortly after a vaccination and was told by my GP that she has Irritable Bowel Syndrome, my child gets great distress from this again no answers!!
Whilst not an expert on MMR I am a GP. Sadly the programme concentrated too much on individual cases (and then biased towards cases of autism) and insufficiently on the evidence. As the PHLO representative said, there is no evidence that autism is more common after immunisation with MMR, against non-immunised children, and this has been shown in studies of MILLIONS of children. 'If', and it is a very big unproven 'if', there is a connection between MMR and autism/IBD in a very small subgroup of the population is it actually relevant to the thousands of children put at risk by the present CONFUSION over the rights and wrongs of vaccination.
One can only begin to understand the despair of having a child with autism, and can understand the LINK that the parents of these children will make with MMR, but it does not serve society to take a link and damn a safe vaccine (recognising that vaccines do themselves have risks as the literature, which parents can easily access, describes).
Sadly, the investigator concluded with the word 'confusion', when all the evidence she herself presented leant heavily towards the Public Health/Government argument, rather than the sidelined Dr Wakefield. Indeed, Prof O'Leary was clearly uncomfortable sitting next to a man expounding his hypothesis in the media circle rather than the scientific arena.
My wife (a health visitor) & I look forward to continued reasoned and open debate with our clients/patients/parents on the subject.
My wife and I spent hours thinking about this issue. We're both graduates, with a sound grasp of academic scientific research. We decided that while the risk was small, the concerns raised were too great for us to take the risk. We tried very hard to obtain the individual vaccines through the NHS system without success. In the end, we had to deal with a clinic in London that imports single vaccines on a named child basis. This cost us three days, 800 miles and over £100, but the peace of mind was worth it. We were lucky - we could afford it. For the sake of herd immunity and public safety, the government needs to allow the single vaccines to be used. Give parents an extra choice and they will take it. Children need protection.
I watched your very interesting programme on MMR tonight. My son has not had his MMR, I was loathe to do so. I am considering separate injections. Now I feel even more confident that my decision is the right one.
What I would like to know is why Tony Blair is reluctant to publicly reveal how his children have been immunised and whether he endorses the MMR.
I didn't find your programme moved the debate about MMR forward - I only learnt one new thing and that is children with parents who have diabetes, thyroid problems are at more risk if they have the triple vaccine.
I don't 'trust' the triple vaccine but I don't want to put my child at risk of suffering the effects of measles.
Therefore, I'd like to know more about our other 'choices'. At the moment, this means giving 3 single vaccines.
What will this do to my child? Will it have any of the effects the triple vaccine? Is this a safer option?
Please can you tell me more about single vaccines.
I am terrified. My 4 year old healthy daughter has been called for her second MMR vaccination. Do I take her and just hope that she's ok, or do I pay the money for single vaccinations. My children's health is paramount and money cannot and will not be an deciding factor, but when speaking to my GP I am told that the single vaccines make no sense. Why? Parents are voting with their feet and walking away from clinics. Surely the politicians should listen to the voting public and at least offer single vaccines until a full study has been completed. One last query, all the children in your programme that were disabled, either by measles or alleged MMR were boys. Is this coincidence?
Our first child has autism.
We were told by paediatricians, autism has a strong genetic base.
This is caused by the break-off of chromosomal 7 and 13 of parents, but I personally believe there are possibly four causes to autism.
Maybe 10% MMR, 50% genetic, 10% childhood illness (including measles), 30% management of pregnancy and birth.
After watching the programme many people will still be unsure as to what to do. Prior to the MMR 3 in 1 jab everybody was given single injections with the result of near eradication of the virus, the government say the single jab is not efficient this does not wash with many or why would the virus have declined so.
Surely this is all about saving money its about time the government woke up and began offering the single jab to those who want it only then will the true picture emerge.
Its time to stop playing with children¿s health and do this now.
Why 20 years ago did we know lots of kids with measles but none with autism
we now have a 3 year old grandson who is diagnosed autistic.
We now know lots of kids that are autistic but none who have had measles
does this not tell you something.
Worried grandparent
I wish I could believe the government when they say there is no link. I have an autistic son who had a high temperature straight after the MMR vaccine. This happened at the age of about 14 months. He was normal baby to that point showing the development progress of my older son at the same age. I hops that all the parents who's heart and lives have been destroyed challenge the government and the vaccine makers with heft law suits !! The government must act on this terrible condition and stop the MMR vaccine !!!
The concern over damage that vaccines can do to children is not new. In 1973/4, parents agonised whether or not to allow their children to have the triple vaccine containing the Whopping Cough virus. Many parents decided not to take the chance and their children were not protected. What did that research eventually prove? What changes were made?
Why can't anyone repeat Dr Wakefield's results. Also why was the lack of any evidence of bowel disease in the 16 year old just ignore by this doctor? I think he was floored by the reporter¿s question at the end of the programme, which he obviously couldn't answer.
The real shame here is that the entire debate is being conducted in the wrong arena. It's an unfortunate spectacle watching respectable scientists beating each other up in the full glare of the media.
In the absence of any conclusive evidence in either direction, surely the only option is to allow patients a choice of MMR or individual jabs?
I have a four year old son and do not wish to play Russian roulette with his life. He has not received the MMR vaccine, but we has parents would like to have him vaccinated with the single jab for the measles. so could you tell me , who in London would be able to do it.
thank you, while all this controversy is going on, all parents should have the choice....
My Wife had to travel to Paris yesterday in order to be ABLE to vaccinate our 3 and a half year old son Tom against measles. It was very difficult, costly and ridiculous that a parent had to travel to another country to exercise his or her right to freedom of choice. As a parent there is absolutely no way, whilst there is even the slightest doubt surrounding a vaccine, that I would be prepared to take a risk and how dare a government take away my choice; is this now a police state now run by president Blair?
Working in education I have seen a rise in the number of Autistic children. I have 3 children who have received the initial injection but I have refused to have a second MMR as I believe that this is where the problems may occur. Tonight's programme seems to confirm that problems are increased when a second injection of measles enters the system. I would like to know the reasons for the second injection and are my children covered by the single vaccine as my eldest child, now thirteen was never recalled for the second injection.
All the research into the perception of risk shows that people are very worried about risks that affect children, where the science is uncertain, and where there seems to be secrecy or cover up. Whatever the facts or doubts on the science, there is now enough worry that no amount of campaigning will put those doubts to rest. The point should be to increase vaccine uptake, not to win the debate and save face for the government. Why not just make the single vaccines available, on precautionary grounds and on pragmatic grounds, and promote vaccine take-up instead of trying to fight a losing battle to defend MMR?
I've just watched your programme on the MMR vaccine, and it occurs that one viable approach wouldn't initially involve anyone with medical training. A statistician ought to be able to prove conclusively one way or the other if a connection exists between the MMR inoculation and subsequent autism. If it were proved to be the case it would then be up to science to discover why.
All the best,
Frank Plowright
After watching your panorama programme on 3/2/02 about the MMR vaccines it has made my mind up that my 4 month old daughter will not be having the MMR vaccine but we do want to know if the single vaccinations are safe and if so where can we find who does the single vaccinations.
Our eldest children in the seventies and early eighties were able to have the vaccinations separately. we were not aware at that time of epidemics of measles caused by the spacing in between vaccinations. When our son was born in 1984 the choice had been taken away. We felt we could not take the risk of possible complications after the vaccination and so he did not receive the triple vaccination. If M.M.R. is not contributing to the rise in autism, then can the government medical advisors tell us, what is?
While I felt that the program raised a lot of interesting points and I am glad that I don't have to make the decision of whether or not to vaccinate my child (who has already had her MMR), I do feel that the programme concentrated on the potential side-effects of the jab. On the whole, it failed to show any consequences of the diseases reaching epidemic proportions as must be a real and increasing threat in the country.
My sixteen month old identical twins are due to have MMR next Wednesday. They were born fourteen weeks prematurely, and Kate (twin one) has had two resections of the bowel following necrotising entrocolitis. She also had a bleed on the brain around birth, and has had other infections, including a fungal infection. She is having a blood test tomorrow to test for possible lactose intolerance, and seems to have difficulty with a range of foods.
Eve (twin two) has been quite well except for an oxygen requirement until she was six months old. I am now very worried about Kate having MMR vaccine in the light of the concerns mentioned on the programme about links with bowel disease, and the suggestion that children who have had medication may be more susceptible to complications. Can you offer any advice?
I am a mother of a three year old who received the MMR vaccination and being pregnant with my second, and having watched the Panorama programme this evening, I have just one question - is it possible to receive the three vaccinations separately in Ireland ? If not, and I suspect it is not possible, would it be possible to find out where in the UK you can get the three vaccines separately. The programme raised enough concern in my mind, and that of my husband, that I would certainly travel to the UK to get the vaccines separately for my second child. This is certainly not an issue that of whether or not to vaccinate but rather whether or not to vaccinate by way of MMR or by way of three separate vaccinations. I feel that the evidence is certainly sufficient for the Government to expend a little more energy in researching this issue and not so much in discrediting Dr. Wakefield. If you do have any information as to the venues for separate vaccinations, I would greatly appreciate receiving it.
Thank you.
I agreed for my children to have the MMR. My daughter developed measles within 48 hours of having the jab. This damaged her eyesight. But I would not take up the booster as she has already had 1 of the diseases. But I would let her have single injections against the other 2. But I am not offered it! Why?
I have a 13 month old son, and I have already cancelled his first appointment for his MMR jab, due to the well publicised ongoing debate about its safety. I have requested information about the immunisations being given separately, but of course GPs and health visitors will only endorse the "Government's" advice and ruling. If there is possibly a link, and as the Panorama documentary showed that a high percentage of autistic children had a measles virus in their intestines, what is the implication of the first separate jab being given? I understand the Government's view that it is their job to protect the whole community from a measles epidemic, but I cannot understand why they do not give a more free choice to parents to have the immunisations done separately. There seems to be a lack of information on the subject of the safety and suitability of the separate vaccinations being given. Apart from the higher risk of catching/transmitting measles, mumps, etc due to the longer time between injections, what are the other issues that I should be considering?
I am infuriated by the Government's refusal to allow parents choice by refusing to make the single vaccine for measles available. This is what is causing the drop in overall vaccination take-up, NOT PARENTS. Please provide me with information on WHERE we can obtain the single vaccination for measles from. We would then immediately have our children vaccinated, as would thousands of other parents. We are quite prepared to pay.
If the MMR is safe, then why has the incident of autism increased and before you can dispute the MMR link by saying it is not responsible surely you must then be able to give an indication of what has caused the increase, or at least look into it.
My 4 year old daughter has received the MMR but I am unsure of letting her have the booster vaccine
Are there guarantees that if there isn't a problem first time round then the booster vaccine is completely safe?
My son is autistic (diagnosed 1997 when he was 4 years old). Perfectly normal child until MMR when complete sudden personality/behaviour change. Why can't children be tested for immunity levels prior to immunisation? They are for the BCG. My son would have been immune from rubella simply by being born as I was immune (blood test proved this prior to pregnancy. Also, daughter has juvenile arthritis, diagnosed a week before my son was born, and I have an under active thyroid. This was not diagnosed until my son was 3 so no medication given until then. I had an overactive thyroid at 11 years old which seemed to rectify itself at puberty. Should all this have been taken into account prior to my son being immunised? Also is measles can cause the terrible illness that that boy had on the programme, then surely injecting the live vaccine could have damaging effects.
I have just listened to parents describing how ill their children became after the MMR, and how they regressed. That could have been myself describing what happened to my son. When are the government going to listen to the parents, instead of repeating themselves over and over again, "there is no evidence"! The programme stated 1000 parents were taking legal action, I¿m sorry but there are at least 3 times that number. WE CAN'T ALL BE WRONG.
The programme was very good and fair. However, there is also some work in Sunderland which shows that children with autism often have other biochemical problems. My own son has autism, and an intolerance to gluten. There is a possible mechanism which could link these food intolerances, autism and MMR. I think many parents of children with autism feel that there is a risk that needs a proper research study. To date, the picture has been black and white - in reality most things are a shade of grey. I feel that parents should be given the choice while more work is carried out. Vaccination rates will only continue to fall, as parents we dutifully take our children to be immunised when we understand the consequences and risks. It is not fair to insist on an 'all or nothing' approach. My other sons have 'high risk' factors - sibling with autism, food intolerances in the family, and we still have a stark choice between the MMR and no vaccination. This is not a logical or sensible policy for the Government.
I have followed the MMR controversy since it began and once felt that it was dramatised and a public scare point similar to BSE and yet, despite that, I still eat beef. I know lots of children who have had MMR with no side affects at all and I am aware that the links with Autism are minimal. Where are the single vaccines for Measles Mumps and Rubella available on the NHS? as I feel this gives us more choice and I feel that not vaccinating my daughter is an option?
My 15 month old is waiting for an appointment for MMR in hospital, under observation, due to an egg allergy. On the programme it was mentioned that there is a theory that children with certain existing conditions/family history are at higher risk of developing autism. My son also has a milk allergy, which was listed...I am now really unsure about what I should do. Is there any evidence that an allergy to milk makes children have higher risk?
We are told that there is no evidence that MMR causes autism. Not all children given the MMR get autism. Not everyone who smokes gets cancer and yet we know that there is a risk because after many years of research the evidence has been proven. Just because the evidence has not been found yet for MMR does not mean that there is no risk. The government should be allowing parents the choice of single vaccinations until more research has been done to prove that there is no risk whatsoever. Surely some kind of vaccination programme is better than none. Also, Tony Blair, by refusing to say whether Leo has been inoculated with MMR, has missed a great opportunity to reassure parents about the triple vaccine - that is of course if Leo has had all three inoculations at once and not separate vaccinations!!
Our son had the MMR at 18mths - before concerns over the vaccine arose. He was fine and appears not to have suffered any ill effects. However we delayed having the pre-school booster. He is now six. We have not come across any discussion of the giving of the booster and would like to know what current debates there are on this. Does he really need it? Should we go for single dose injections or will he still be vulnerable to the 'double hit' problem? Is there any way of finding out if he is already immune? Many parents with children of this age and a bit older must be in this position.
It seems a little irresponsible of Andrew Wakefield to tantalise the medical fraternity with a few highly controversial figures related to his new research before disclosing full details of the populations he studied which presumably will not be available for scrutiny until April. I say irresponsible because snippets like those given tonight will only fuel anxieties in the general public which may or(or may not of course) be needless.
I would really like to hear some basic facts about MMR & autism to help us come to a conclusion about the relative risks. 1) How many children have been vaccinated with MMR ? 2)How many apparently MMR related autism cases have there been ? 3)How does this autism rate compare with pre-MMR rates. 4)What is the risk of my children contracting measles if they do not have the vaccination? This information would go a long way to helping settling individual concerns but to date has been missing. Why are these facts avoided and where can we go to find them out ?
If the MMR measles bug stays in the body for years, then why does the bug not stay in the body's system after having the single measles jab? We, as parents, should have the choice of single vaccinations.
It's like being caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.....my 12 month old daughter is due to have her MMR in 2 months time and I really feel totally overwhelmed over this controversy.
I also feel that the advantages of the single vaccines have not been really mentioned at all...and if in fact these too should be avoided altogether, or just the measles single vaccine should be omitted
I have a 4.5 year old daughter born with reflux she is now fed with a gastrostomy tube. After she had her first MMR she was extremely ill as she was pretty weak anyway. I am extremely worried about what to do now her booster is due, and have not taken her for it. How long does the first MMR injection really last for - is the booster the same strength? If single injections are available anywhere even if you have to pay for them, then where on earth do we get them? Having watched the programme I do not feel any better informed, only more confused as to what is the best thing to do to protect my child. With the outbreaks of measles in some nurseries this is becoming an urgent worry.
Why are parents who choose the single jabs made to feel guilty? surely the main concern for those fearing a measles epidemic is that the children are vaccinated one way or another; the method should be of less concern!
We have a daughter aged 2 years 8 months, who had MMR at the age of 17 months, apparently without any ill effects. We also have a son aged 9 months who has not yet had MMR. What would the disadvantages be of our daughter not having the combined MMR booster? Are un-combined boosters available? Second, what are the disadvantages of having our son vaccinated with un-combined vaccines? Are separate vaccines available for each of measles, mumps and rubella?
Separately, was there an implication in tonight's programme that the separate measles vaccine also has links with autism and/or bowel disorders?
I have an autistic son approaching his 11th birthday. We noticed the more obvious signs of what was to become his diagnosis of autism as he was approaching 2, i.e. after his MMR, but one can never be entirely sure that there were not earlier signs. However, whilst there is doubt about MMR, it can't be beyond the wit of a modern government and health service to organise separate injections rather than see many parents opt not to have them and thus risk epidemics. A little extra expense is worth it to avoid the lifetime of difficulty and sheer difference that autism brings. It has taken a long time to accept who and what my son is, but not everyone can do this, and no-one should have to for want of a sensible national vaccination policy; nor should anyone have to agonise over what will happen to their child after they have died, because s/he is incapable of living independently.
As a concerned parent, and having watched your programme on the MMR vaccination, Have the Government, Or are the government going to do as the Congress chairperson asked - Will they examine 50 children over a period of time to see if there is a link?.
Also, why does the government have to wait for results to be published in a scientific journal to see if it is safe, Should they not revert back to single vaccinations until it is proven to be safe instead of continuing on with the vaccine until it is proven either way, Is this really concern, or is it cheaper to do a all in one rather than three single jabs?
As the mother of 3 children under the age of 5, I have considered the issue of MMR very thoroughly. I have so far vaccinated the 2 eldest with the single measles vaccine, and would like to do the same for the youngest and my as yet unborn 4th. The government are making it increasingly difficult to access the single vaccines, which leaves more children at risk, especially those not fortunate to be able to afford the very expensive private rates. It is in my opinion that the governments increasingly obstinate stance makes people more suspicious. They treat the electorate as if we are incapable of making our own mind up and should be treated like delinquents (removing our choices). Surely if we are trusted to take our newborns for vaccinations at 2,3, & 4 months. We can be trusted to take them for a series of vaccinations at the age of 15,16 & 17 months. The argument that they are at risk for those extra 2 months is ridiculous bearing in mind that in my neighbouring county they do not start MMR vaccination until 18 months. (An exposure of an extra 3 months!)
I cannot see the government getting themselves out of this mess by sticking to their stance - and the excessive amounts spent of advertising and marketing it, just make the situation more irritating.
As a health visitor I have followed this debate very closely. I have spent many hours listening to parents fears and disseminating the Department of Health information to them. But, increasingly so many parents are angry with the government for ignoring their pleas for single dose vaccines, after all how many times have politicians said the public need to have choices. In this context there is no choice, the child has the MMR or gets Measles. I really feel that the recent MMR £3 million campaign has not allayed these parental fears at all and that the prevailing view of the parents is.. "well they would say that wouldn't they?" The campaign has not won over these doubting parents at all. Unfortunately only a measles epidemic will do that. Many parents just do not understand the rather lame government justifications for continuing the combined vaccines and certainly the Leo Blair saga has fuelled the cynicism. I am a parent myself, but my sons are now in their twenties and I have not personally had to deal with this dilemma, but I do understand the frustration and anger of the parents that I talk to. Yes we do need to undertake sound scientific research but this debate is going to run and run and the Department of Health are not winning. I don't know the answers but I'm faced with this issue every day. I know that I have a parent coming to see me tomorrow about the MMR and after this programme I am dreading the visit, because she will throw every argument at me and I have to defend the Department's stance. I sometimes wish that the officials/politicians who make these decisions could be with me when I have to face these parents.
My son Harry is autistic (he nearly 5) Matilda his sister is 3 years old. Why if the measles virus is the one constantly found in the gut of autistic children and the obvious problem should inoculating with the single measles virus be any safer - as advocated by Andrew Wakefield tonight. We know the children suffering from the measles outbreak in south west London - our neighbour and friend has a baby in intensive care suffering from measles. Matilda is vulnerable - both to autism and measles what is the best way to protect her from both? Following your programme and my research I would still suggest that measles is the lesser risk for children our her genetic background. Why is the single vaccine safer?
I am convinced that the MMR is responsible for spreading variants of these diseases which present themselves with only 80% of the normal symptoms. Mainly because MMR does not allow for the maturity of the respiratory system - by using an injection a large part of the body's natural defence mechanism is left out of the equation and the ability for the child's respiratory and immune system to fight off viral infections is weaker. Not only that these are live viruses and therefore transmittable during the incubation period - what kind of mutations are we passing on???? Can we also ask the Government to prove that formaldehyde is not in the vaccine as well as other toxic substances??
It would have been interesting if the programme had looked at the way in which autism was diagnosed.
Also a discussion with Dr Nesbitt about her findings pre and post the introduction of MMR might have been relevant.
Measles is considered to be an important milestone in a child¿s immunity development in Chinese medicine. Both of my children have had measles but not had vaccinations and are healthy. The health service's understanding of children¿s immune system is limited .
The Bristol children¿s hospital were removing glands from six week old babies because they wanted to understand what part the gland played in their developing immune system. That was in the last four years .It shows that they have much to learn and should not be condemning parents for acting cautiously.
My sister has 4 year old non-identical twins, one of whom is in the process of being diagnosed with a language disorder. We know that there can be a link with this type of disorder and a gene linked to autism. He had his first MMR jab at around age 2 and are due to have another MMR jab shortly. We are concerned that he may be at risk of developing autism. Is he at an increased risk?
In relation to this, and to the Panorama programme: 1. Is there evidence that giving the MMR vaccines separately is as effective as the triple dose? and 2. Is it the case that the vaccine that seems to be the problem is the measles vaccine?
On the programme, I would like to comment that, listening to the government spokespeople, it occurred to me that it was a bit like a throwback to John Gummer feeding a hamburger to his daughter to reassure the public of the safety of meat. I do not feel that the public actually trust government in general, in relation to these issues. I also think that the often paternalistic 'we know best' attitude of the medical profession reinforces the sense of anxiety and frustration that many parents are feeling in relation to the MMR vaccine.
My 3 year old had the MMR jab at 13 months old. At the age of 18 months we noticed a problem with her speech and temper. Now she is 3.5 years of age and after tests from hospital and local doctors they cant find anything wrong besides a speech problem. We have a 1 year old due the MMR jab, but we are confused and don't want the same problems with our 1 year old.
My sister has an autistic boy aged 3 years. When my sister has spoken to other parents of autistic children there seems to be a link in that their children have ALL had ear infections and a lot of antibiotics before they had the MMR injection. Therefore I would support the view that children should be screened for immunodeficiency¿s before they are given the MMR injection.
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