Forum Brief: MMR

A child health expert who worked on the first research which linked the MMR vaccine with autism said yesterday that he now believes the injection is safe.

Simon Murch, a consultant paediatrician at the Royal Free Hospital in London, said he had decided to speak out because he feared Britain was on the brink of a major measles epidemic.

A spokeswoman for the DoH told ePolitix.com: "Parents can be reassured by Dr Murch's comments in today's Lancet which state that there is no link between MMR and autism. His letter is a clear reminder of the importance of immunisation with MMR.

"It is worth noting that Dr Murch, who says he supports MMR vaccination without reservation, worked as a paediatrician during the original 1998 study which started the debate about MMR. In his letter today he states openly that there is no link between autism and the vaccine. His wordsspeak for themselves.

"No other vaccine has ever been studied in such depth and the evidence for its overall safety is comprehensive.

"There is now unequivocal evidence that MMR is not a risk factor for autism. This statement is not spin or medical conspiracy, but reflects an unprecedented volume of medical study on a worldwide basis."

Liam Fox, shadow health secretary, said: "Parents will have been understandably confused by some of the coverage about MMR.

"It is gratifying that Dr Simon Murch has now accepted that there is no evidence of a link between MMR and autism. Many people have forgotten the terrible potential effects of measles or mumps or rubella, including serious permanent disability.

"The more that parents can be advised to take up the vaccine the better."

Paul Burstow, health spokesman, said: "Switching to the option of individual vaccines for each disease on the NHS is exactly the wrong thing to do. These are less effective and their safety is less established than MMR. This would start a loss of confidence in the vaccine as a whole."The evidence clearly shows that opting for a single vaccine carries increased risk not only for the individual and their family but also to the wider community."

Forum Response: The Disabilities Trust

Matt Townsend, spokesman for The Disabilities Trust, told ePolitix.com: "Dr Murch's remarks about the alleged link between MMR and autistic spectrum disorders are very interesting.

"While we don't claim to have any scientific expertise and do not take a view as such over Andrew Wakefield's claims, The Disabilities Trust has always believed that if the overwhelming weight of evidence indicates that MMR is safe, (as it appears to do at the moment), parents should probably continue to accept the triple vaccine.

"In addition, if there were to be a major measles epidemic, particularly in London, it could have serious implications for public health and that would not be in anyone's interest."