Latest figures show the number of babies being vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella has fallen from 92% ten years ago, to as low as 75% in some areas. Dr Howard Lee urges parents to protect their children against childhood diseases

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 This information from family and friends may be correct but can be out of date.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.

Anything we take into our body can have side effects. Medicines, and in this case the MMR vaccine, are no exception, but vaccines are among the safest medicines. The commonest side effects are similar to a mild version of one of the viruses involved. In this case, the three-part vaccine with a mixture of Measles, Mumps, and German Measles (Rubella), can produce general loss of energy, slight fever, and possibly a rash. Swelling of the glands in the cheeks, as seen in mumps, may happen in about 1 in 100 cases. It has been suggested that other conditions may be linked to MMR vaccine. These include:

Asthma, but the current view by experts is that there is no strong evidence to support this.
A very rare disease, Guillain-Barre syndrome which affects the brain and nervous system causing sudden paralysis, thought to be linked to the measles element. There is strong evidence against this.
Crohn’s Disease, an inflammatory disease of the bowels. Many factors have been linked to this illness. There is some research showing a possible link with measles vaccine. This has not been confirmed and therefore has been rejected.
Autism, a condition leading to a delayed speech and communication and intellectual impairment, usually diagnosed in the second year of life. Research has shown that Autism did not rise after the introduction of the MMR vaccine. However, because there have been some doubts raised with regard to a possible connection, the beliefs and concerns of parents must be conscientiously addressed. Serious research funding is being invested to identify possible links.

It has been suggested that the MMR can be given as three separate injections at least a year apart. There is no published evidence to support the separate dose suggestion, which is counter to recommendations. There are clear adverse consequences from following such a suggestion: coverage for three separate immunisations will undoubtedly be less than that where only one is needed – some children will inevitably miss one or two jabs. During the period from the first to the third injections children will be left unnecessarily at risk from serious diseases whilst they wait, unprotected, for two years or more between vaccines. During this time they and their contacts are at risk of infection.

Nothing in life is without risk, but here the balance, for most people, is in favour of having the MMR Vaccine. It not only protects the patient, but also unborn babies. This was my own, ultimate decision, having taken the time to read all of the available medically reported documentation - and this was vast. As a caring medical practitioner, I like to feel that I was able to talk with my patients, to listen to them, understand their fears, and then try to help them make a decision that was right for them. Whatever this decision was, even if, perhaps different to my own, I was always there for them to give the support that they needed.

By the way, one of my own grandchildren has quite severe Autism. The suspicions were raised and the diagnosis was actually assumed well before he received his MMR vaccine.