Measles epidemic looms, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 05 Oct 2004 - 7:00 PDT

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A measles epidemic could affect the UK this winter because of a falling uptake of the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR), according to leading medical newspaper Pulse.

Recent figures from the department of health show that last month uptake of MMR in England fell again in 2003-04, with 80 per cent of children reaching the age of two receiving the jab, compared with 82 per cent in 2002-03.

This is well below the peak of 92 per cent coverage recorded in 1995-96, before the publication of research which claimed the MMR jab was linked to autism.

The controversial research by Dr Andrew Wakefield, published in The Lancet in 1998, has since been widely discredited, yet many parents remain concerned about the alleged link.

Phil Johnson, editor of Pulse, said: "GPs have been warning for years that the continued fall in MMR uptake would have dire consequences for patients and unfortunately it looks like those predictions will be proven correct."

He added that a 95 per cent coverage rate is needed in order to prevent an epidemic.

The Health Protection Agency has announced that it is working with public health officials in order to implement a plan to stop the latest outbreak spreading further.

http://www.hda-online.org.uk