Doctors' doubts over MMR vaccine

Professionals were uneasy about the vaccine

Nearly half of medical professionals in the north of Wales have reservations about giving children their second dose of the controversial MMR vaccine, according to new research.

The study, in the British Medical Journal comes a week after warnings that the UK is at risk of a potentially fatal outbreak of measles because immunisation levels have dropped so dramatically.

Breakdown of professionals surveyed

The results coincide with news that the largest study of the vaccination ever undertaken has ruled out any link to other conditions in children.

The BMJ article says the government needs to tackle professional unease about the Mumps, Measles and Rubella vaccine, if it is to stop the decline in immunisation levels.

Public fears that it could be linked to autism and Crohn's disease have led to thousands of parents refusing to have their children innoculated.

Immunisation levels in some parts of the country have fallen to as low as 75% - way below the World Health Organisation threshold of 95% needed to guarantee so-called "herd immunity" for the whole population.

Experts have insisted the it is safe and more effective than the older, single vaccines.

But doctors' concerns about the jab may be exacerbating the worrying fall in immunisation levels, the study authors said.

I would be frightened to urge parents to have the second MMR in case there were problems afterwards

North Wales doctor

Researchers questioned 140 health visitors, 204 practice nurses and 165 GPs in northern counties about their attitudes towards the triple vaccine.

Nearly half of doctors said they wanted more information on the jab.

And up to a third of nurses believed the triple vaccine was linked to serious adverse side-effects.

Only 46% felt confident about explaining to parents the need for the second dose.

"I personally will not let my children have their second MMR, but I don't influence parents in any way," said one doctor.

"I would be frightened to urge parents to have the second MMR in case there were problems afterwards."

"I would not want anyone to blame me for persuading them."

A third of practice nurses said they thought the jab was "very likely or possibly" associated with Crohn's disease, and 27% thought it was linked to autism.