Government comments re MMR & autism--a collection
"I hope that this is the end of the argument."Professor Brent Taylor, Royal Free Friday, 8
February, 2002, 17:35 GMT
"The conclusion time and time again is that the vaccine is safe." Dr
Elizabeth Miller Public Health Laboratory Service, 22 January, 2001
"This is a safe vaccine."-------Dr David
Salisbury, Government immunisation programme
"A Department of Health source said: "We don’t support the single vaccines because they are not safe."--Media
[UK Gov Feb 2002]
"The evidence and reports about the safety of the MMR vaccine have been
considered carefully by the JCVI and the CSM (Committee on Safety of Medicines. They have
looked at the work of the Royal Free Hospital team many times and the Chairman and senior
members of the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) have visited
the Royal Free Hospital to hear their theories first hand. They have also looked at other
research on this issue from around the world, including research from the UK, USA, Sweden
and Finland. On all the evidence available, the USA, JCVI and the CSM have agreed that
there is no link between MMR and autism. This view is supported by experts from around the
world, including the World Health Organisation."--DOH feb 2002 http://www.doh.gov.uk/mmr.htm#how
[Feb 2002] Downing St--MMR - The facts
"There seems to have been a rise in the number of children with autism, but actually we have changed our views on what autism is and are also better at counting it."---Dr Helen Bedford feb 2002
"I should say that the recommendations on measles mumps and rubella that the Government are following are supported by the World Health Organisation, the British Medical Association, the Royal College of General Practitioners, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, the Royal College of Nursing, and the Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association."--Tony Blair, Dec 18 2001
"Scotland's deputy chief medical officer has insisted that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) inoculation is "safe, effective and the best remedy available". Dr Andrew Fraser said the weight of scientific and medical research did not support allegations of a link between the MMR jab and autism."--Media
MESSAGE FROM PROFESSOR DONALDSON, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
12 January 2001 CEM/CMO/2001/1 http://www.doh.gov.uk/cmo/cmo00_19.htm
UPDATE ON MMR VACCINE
Following recent publicity about MMR vaccine and the availability of single antigen vaccines, the Chairmen of the two relevant independent committees have issued the following advice.
The Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) has conducted a further detailed review of the safety data and the Chairman, Professor Alasdair Breckenridge said: "MMR vaccine is very safe. There is no question mark whatever over its licensing".
Professor Michael Langman, Chairman of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and
Immunisation said:
"My committee has independently considered all the issues and reached the same
position as CSM. If there is a question mark, it is over the advice to have single
vaccines."
The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Liam Donaldson said:
"We are very pleased to have this further confirmation from the two independent
expert committees that the safety record of MMR is excellent. The safety of combined MMR
is supported by a much greater body of evidence than the individual vaccines. The
suggested practice of giving staggered doses of separate components has not had its safety
or efficacy tested."
"Scare stories clearly worry parents but giving children separate vaccines unnecessarily exposes them to the risk of life-threatening infection. MMR remains the safest way to protect our children."
Media:
"The State has a clear obligation to prescribe the vaccine
which it has decided is the safest and most effective in warding off epidemic. In the
present state of knowledge, that vaccine is plainly MMR. There can be no public interest
in undermining its use."--SIMON JENKINS
GP leaders support MMR and call for freeze on target payments