Keep your family safe from germs and bacteria
MMR vaccination: Is it a friend or foe?
Fear over immunisation is not new; it dates back as far as the very first vaccine. When immunity to the feared Smallpox had been achieved using cowpox, thousands of people were vaccinated for protection - and yet an anti-vaccination lobby was soon being formed. When was all of this? Not long after 1796.
Unfortunately, ill-founded rumours and media scare stories can seriously undermine the nation’s immunisation programme. Today’s parents are much better informed, and ask more searching questions about the effectiveness and the necessity of many medical treatments. Their information comes not only from health professionals, but also from family, friends and newspapers. This information from family and friends may be correct but can be out of date. Advice from doctors, nurses and health visitors should be consistent, accurate and backed up by good scientific evidence.
As a General Practitioner (now retired) with 35 years’ experience of family medicine, a parent of seven children and a grandfather to six children, I think that I can say that I do know what it feels like to be in a situation of ‘confused uncertainty’. I made it my business to be aware of all of the latest medical reviews that became available to health professionals. I made valued judgements based on all of these reviews and on my experiences of dealing with children and parents within my daily work.
I know that the basis of all immunisation policy is on the scientific evidence of benefit and risk. The media are quick to pick up anecdotal evidence and create emotive stories – this makes good copy and sells newspapers. The MMR vaccine, introduced around 1988, was acceptable to both health professionals and parents. Research, governed by strict rules and guidelines, is an important part of all medical practice. Information has to be relevant, up-to-date and collected with care to avoid bias.
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