MMR jab is good for my child say 88% of parents

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 27 Feb 2004 - 0:00 PDT


88% of parents in the UK say they would give the MMR jab to their child. This is according to the latest large scale poll. 80% of parents are convinced the MMR jabis safe.

This is an increase in confidence. A couple of years ago 70% thought the MMR jab was safe.

This is the latest poll to come out since it was revealed that the doctor in charge of the main research a few years ago which linked MMR to autism had a serious conflict of interest.

The doctor's research was labelled as 'bad science' and the editor of the Lancet (International UK medical journal) said he would not have published the findings had he known then what he knows now.

According to a survey carried out by YouGov, almost 66% of the public do not trust Dr. Andrew Wakefield's report (the doctor who had the conflict of interest). In fact, only 4% trusted his report a great deal.

Parents also said they would like to see more public funded research. They would also like the NHS to give parents the option of giving the jabs separately - MMR is a combined jab to protect children from Measles, Mumps and Rubella.

Here is a breakdown of the poll, in brackets were the percentages two years ago:

-- MMR is completely safe - 12% (8%)

-- MMR is very safe - 35% (33%)

-- MMR is quite safe - 35% (31%)

-- MMR is not safe - 14% (19%)

-- MMR is dangerous - 2% (?)

-- More government funded research should be done - 78% (?)

-- Single jabs should be available on the NHS - 64% (?)

954 parents were interviewed (24th and 26th February, 2004). All parents had children who were six years old or under.

There is a programme (program) tonight in the UK on ITV channel 'Tonight with Trevor McDonald', 8pm (27th February) - the programme is about all this.

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