Report to the People
1st March 2004
Many
Mums Relieved
Since
its publication in 1998, Dr Andrew Wakefield’s controversial research which
linked the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to childhood autism
has been criticised by independent experts around the world.
Last
week’s revelations that he was also receiving cash to uncover
evidence which parents, convinced the jab had harmed their children,
could use to sue the manufacturers, look like
the last nail in the report’s coffin.
While
we must be clear that we do not yet know whether Dr Wakefield was simply
mistaken, too interested in making a name for himself, or on the take (that will
be a matter for the General Medical Council’s investigation) we do
know that damage has already been done.
To
be effective, a vaccination program relies on what is known as “herd
immunity.” In other words, the
vaccinated members of the population are not only protecting themselves against
infection, they are also stopping it taking hold in the wider population, thus
protecting those like babies and some ill children who have yet to have their
jab. If successful, the whole
community, or “herd”, stays healthy.
In
the case of MMR, 95% of children need to be immunised to give us “herd
immunity.” However, the latest figures show that only about 80% of
British two-year-olds have had the jab.
This
has sparked fears of an epidemic. The
drop in MMR uptake was the most likely cause of, for example, the recent rise in
cases of mumps in Glasgow. Parents
were issued with a warning at the end of January when, in a two month period,
there were 12 confirmed and a further 22 suspected cases. The
normal figure is one or two a year.
That
being said, I think it would be unfair to pin all the blame for this on the
report and its author. The
irresponsible use of the study by certain politicians hardly improved the
situation.
Some
utterly reckless scaremongering fuelled public concern and gave the report a
credibility we now know it didn’t deserve.
Not only did this discourage worried parents from giving their
children the combined jab, it also helped line the pockets of the private medics
who profited by charging parents for single vaccines.
The
alarmist tendency should, as I say in a motion I have tabled in the Parliament, reflect
on their actions. With
the health of our kids and indeed our community at stake, it is now time for all
sides of the political spectrum to unite, rebuild confidence in MMR and stave
off a potential public health disaster.
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