The MMR dilemma

July 10th, 2006

Is the United Kingdom the only place where there’s been major controversy over the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccination?

I doubt it, but even though this controversy raged a few years ago, the effects are only now starting to be felt.

In short, Dr Andrew Wakefield, published research whicht indicated that chidren who received the MMR vaccine were more likely to suffer from Autism and a bowel disorder. A so called “triple dose” of the individual vaccines was recommended instead.

The furore was immense. I vividly remember huge queues of anxious parents and frightened children waiting to pay almost any price for single vaccines from anywhere willing to sell them on a private basis.

Friends had children at the vaccination age then, and went to great lengths to get individual doses. Our children were younger so we had longer to come to terms with out terrible dilemma - should we give them the MMR vaccine and risk the dire consequences of autism - or should we give them the individual doses and risk them not being properly protected against measles and the other diseases?

Well, as the link above showed, Dr Wakefield’s research has been discredited - apparently it was only undertaken on 12 children anyway!

We decided to give our children the MMR vaccine and they have been fine. We made the correct decision.

However, in the UK, measles, which had previously been virtually eradicated, is now on the increase again - all because the concerns about the safety of the MMR vaccine.

This is a crazy situation, though I can understand the concerns of parents faced with the decision. All I can add to the debate is that our two children were fine and we can now be assured that as they reach school age that they will be safe from the potentially lethal measles.

Entry Filed under: Health Issues