|
Department rejects claims that
MMR vaccine is ineffective
(4 September 2001)
The Department of Health has rejected claims made by a private clinic
that 50 per cent of children who receive measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)
vaccine are inadequately protected against measles and mumps.
Tests for antibody levels were performed by the Direct Health 2000 clinic
in Eltham, London, in 50 children who had had the first of two MMR vaccinations.
About half were found to have "good" immunity to rubella but "zero or
very low" protection against measles and mumps.
Dismissing Direct Health's claim, the Department of Health says that inferring
that MMR is ineffective from these results is misleading.
"These tests were carried out by a clinic which has a vested interest
in selling single vaccines and the results have not been published or
validated by other researchers. They should be treated with extreme caution,"
it says.
The department adds that previous research has shown that up to 10 per
cent of children might not have immunity to measles and mumps, and less
than 5 per cent to rubella after the first MMR injection. "The second
dose is designed to protect children who do not respond to the first dose
or who have lower levels of immunity." Paul Shattock, director of the
autism research unit at the University of Sunderland, expressed his surprise
at the clinic's findings. "I have read all the published papers on efficacy
[of MMR vaccine] and have never had any reason to doubt them. Indeed,
I was beginning to wonder whether the second shot was needed at all. I
believe it is appropriate to investigate the claims experimentally. It
is not appropriate for a group of immunologists and public health officials
to dismiss these allegations out of hand." |
