National Health Service has conducted a study and found that the rates have increased among those who take the MMR vaccine.
National Health Service has conducted a study and found that the rates have increased among those who take the MMR vaccine.
More parents are getting their children immunized with the three-in-one MMR jab in Scotland. But the rates are still well below the Scottish Executive's target level of 95% by the age of two. But there was a 0.7% increase in the rates of immunization. The drop was due to the vaccines association with the childhood autism disease.A small-scale study published in The Lancet in 1998 by Dr Andrew Wakefield suggested a link to autism. But later on a major Medical Research Council study of more than 4,000 children concluded in September 2004 that three-in-one injection, against measles, mumps and rubella, was not linked to autism.
Health officials have said 95% of children need to be immunized to ensure herd immunity and to prevent outbreaks of measles, mumps or rubella. The vaccination rates against other childhood diseases have remained well above target levels. According to the figures, uptake rates at the age of two for diphtheria, tetanus, polio and three other diseases have remained relatively stable at 96-97%.
Tory health spokeswoman Nanette Milne said that the single vaccine for these diseases was very costly and could be afforded by the elite community. She said that it was not appropriate and the health minister would find a solution to this kind of a problem.
Health experts have said there was no evidence that single vaccines were safer for children than MMR. A Scottish Executive spokeswoman said that the MMR vaccine is the safest, most effective way to protect all children against the risks of measles, mumps and rubella.
