Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHSMMR vaccine 'should be compulsory in school'
A former chair of the BMA has called on schools to demand compulsory MMR immunisation for pupils
Sir Sandy Macara wants the MMR jab, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella, to be compulsory, according to a motion for debate at the BMA’s annual conference later this month.
After the MMR was wrongly linked to an increased risk of autism, the number of vaccinations plunged, prompting country-wide measles outbreaks and boosting fears of an epidemic.
One in four children under five have not had both of the required injections, the first at 13 months and the second at around three years and four months.
Sir Macara said: ‘We ought to consider making a link which in effect would make it compulsory for children to be immunised if they are to receive the benefit of a free education from the state.’
The BBC reports that the Government has refused a request by the London Strategic Health Authority that vaccinations be made compulsory.
The authority had reportedly asked about the ‘feasibility of requiring an immunisation certificate for measles before children go to school’.
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Readers' comments (19)
Miranda La Vey | 3-Jun-2009 4:35 pm
Well, thank goodness my children dont partake in schooling either then, is all I can say.
I think you'll see a large, rapid, increase in the numbers of children home-educated if vax do become compulsory.
Quite frankly, they'll have to bring in the big guys with guns and night-sticks before I'll hand my children over to them to be vaccinated. And believe me, I'm far from alone in saying that. Its going to be one hell of a fight.
This country is no longer a free one. Its an absolute disgrace.
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miss_kipling | 3-Jun-2009 7:25 pm
@Miranda La Vey, so you're happier for you children to risk illness, infertility and even death through measles, mumps and rubella??!
To selfishly allow your choices to affect their future and their childrens' future. Not to mention all of the children that they will come into contact with.
I don't agree that it should be made compulsory but i do believe that you have a moral responsibility to the rest of society to do what is best for the greater good.
I, myself had the MMR vaccine at a young age, as did my sister, my fiance and every single one of my friends. With NO EFFECTS. I shall be making sure that every child that is in my care shall be properly vaccinated and learn their social responsibility for doing so in future.
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Anonymous | 3-Jun-2009 10:35 pm
Can this possibly be legal?
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Alison Reynolds | 4-Jun-2009 4:38 pm
So much for free will and a democratic society! If people do not want there children vaccinated then that is their choice. If we start taking that away from them then we know longer live in a free society and quite frankly that is scary. Whilst i believe that vaccinations are safe and effective, clearly some people do not. This is primarily because of BAD PRESS. It would be better for the GOVT to deal with that issue, rather than forcing people to make choices against their will. Also how about publicising the real facts for a change? Then people can make choices based on the truth.
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Victoria sherratt | 4-Jun-2009 8:02 pm
I presume that the people who have left negative comments are health care professionals? or are you lay people? With your uninformed attitude towards the vaccine I suspect the latter. I suggest you read the literature in this systematic review to become informed.
The risk of Autism is no more with or without vaccination. For the health of the nation it is essential for maximum coverage to erradicate these diseases. 1 in 4 is not enough to create blanket cover for all (including those children who are immuno suppressed and can't be vaccinated and who could die from such diseases.) and I feel strongly that the Government should introduce compulsory vaccination for school children. Not vaccinating children puts everyone at risk, especially pregnant women who contract it and consequently causing birth defects to the unborn baby.
http://mrw.interscience.wiley.com/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD004407/pdf_fs.html
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Charlotte Peters Rock | 4-Jun-2009 10:45 pm
Re MMR. No one who thinks, would any longer trust those people who have told so may deliberate lies about mercury, or about the risks of having too many vaccines in too short a period.
The fact that most children push through this vaccine overload, is no consolation to parents whose healthy child is irrevocably damaged by MMR - or any other vaccine.
The fact that 1 in 80 children is currently presenting with autism in the UK, is a serious concern to parents. If no-one will tell us the truth - or even attempt to find out what the truth is, then these people should all be replaced by others who have some moral standard. Otherwise, parents - fully realising the risk - will continue to try to keep their children safe, by refusing to have this and other vaccines.
The thought of compulsion is just disgusting.
There needs to be a complete clear out of all 'professionals' who just couldn't care less about the health of other people's children.
Authoritarian decree is just not acceptable in the UK. If any civil servant thinks it is, that person should be immediately replaced -and denied any severance pay or pension.
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Victoria sherratt | 5-Jun-2009 3:43 pm
The MMR vaccine does not contain mercury now and hasn't for some years. Human beings are exposed to thousands of new viruses every year. Having 3 vaccines at one go has been proven safe in the vast majority of individuals. The risk of severe complications from the diseases once there is no longer herd immunity are far greater than the risk of complications from immunisation. The link I gave above reviewed almost every piece of literature about MMR causing or contributing to autism and no link was found. The Wakefield study was questionnable at best and appallingly bad at worst.
People need access to research papers but also the knowledge to assess the quality of the research. As has happened in this incident the research was made public but the consumers had no idea about the quality. They believed it without any scepticism.
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Leon Southgate | 6-Jun-2009 2:16 pm
I am an ex-nurse and have a master degree in health research. I chose not to vaccinate my children and they are both healthier than most it seems - touch wood. They seem to get the childhood diseases in milder form, hardly noticeable compared to their vaccinated friends. Most of the major diseases were already well in decline when vaccination started due to environmental improvements (see 'What Doctors Don't Tell You series). I would leave the country before allowing my children to be vaccinated. I wouldn't trust big pharma with my children. No way.
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marilyn edwards | 6-Jun-2009 6:18 pm
There are pros and cons to all vaccinations. As a nurse and a mother /grandmother I firmly believe that children should be vaccinated. I see the teenagers with mumps - tough luck when it's exam time, measles on the increase in Wales. When will we see the birth deformities return I wonder?
Although i don't support compulsory vaccination, I do support well informed, responsible parenting. Some of the comments above suggest a lack of responsibility...
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Anonymous | 8-Jun-2009 9:46 am
Charlotte Peters Rock, you say that fully aware parents are trying to keep their children "safe" by not giving them the vaccination. Keeping them safe would be to give them the vaccination and prevent them from being susceptible to the possibly fatal infections.
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lorraine mcilraith | 9-Jun-2009 8:48 am
As a nurse and mother of six I must strongly disagree with compulsory MMR vacinations, or making any vaccination compulsory. None of my children have had th MMR as I had a very bad reaction to this when I was a child. I am well informed and have discussed this with many health visitors and public health. My children are perfectly healthy and my baby who is one year old managed to get measles at the age of seven months, yet none of my other children got it. I always do what is best for my children and I feel I do not have to justify myself to people - I chose not to have the MMR but all other vaccinations, and as a parent I feel it is my right to choose.
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Claire Underwood | 9-Jun-2009 9:53 am
As a nurse and mother I have to say that I think that vaccination should be compulsory. These diseases have serious consequences and any responsible parent would agree to it. Small pox was eradicated using such methods and these diseases could be the same, saving future generations. Our country is lucky that we have a choice not to have such access to preventative medicine, other countries are not so lucky and don't have the luxury of choice and their children die regardless of a simple injection. If we are responsible enough as a rich, influential country millions of other children would not die needlessly
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Claire Underwood | 9-Jun-2009 9:53 am
As a nurse and mother I have to say that I think that vaccination should be compulsory. These diseases have serious consequences and any responsible parent would agree to it. Small pox was eradicated using such methods and these diseases could be the same, saving future generations. Our country is lucky that we have a choice not to have such access to preventative medicine, other countries are not so lucky and don't have the luxury of choice and their children die regardless of a simple injection. If we are responsible enough as a rich, influential country millions of other children would not die needlessly
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judith willis | 9-Jun-2009 1:10 pm
Having read the letters response to the suggestion, MMR should be compulsory, I have to say it has certainly evoked a very large reponse.
The research by Wakeman, poor sample and very floored, unfortunately caused a large drop in MMR uptake. We are now seeing what this has done. An increase in measles outbreaks. Let me remind people what measles can do... It causes, in some cases, death...blindness...deafness and permanent brain damage.
Whilst I am at a loss to understand nurses/mothers refusing to have their children vaccinated I do understand the wider population being afraid. BUT, it is so sad that the negative media coverage, following Wakeman, has not been dispelled by we professionals.
Reactions can occur with any vaccination, whether child or adult. A simple precaution is to administer paracetemol post imms to prevent hyper pyrexias and the resultant damage to children with the onset of febrile convulsions.
Further to the research that is now available, a subjective statement albeit, but please someone tell me...why is autism on the increase whilst MMR uptake is on the decrease. That analogy alone should produce a positive outcome in this ongoing dilema. I do not think it should be compulsory. What we need is a consistent push forward with education of the facts, by professionals not government, so that these non immunised children their sibblings and friends are not continually put at risk and their parents fears put to rest. J Willis Rgn
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Denise Hine | 25-Sep-2009 7:02 am
Firstly it was Wakefield not Wakeman who produced the damning research around MMR.
I would like to know what the bad reaction to MMR was. There are and always have been only two absolute contraindications for not giving a vaccination and this applies to all vaccines:
1. Anaphylaxis following a previous dose
2. Anaphylaxis following any component of the relevant vaccine.
The side effect of the vaccine is minimal in comparison to the effects of the disease for which it protects. I am a Sick Children's Nurse with some 30 years experience I have seen the effects of these diseases - Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis from the measles virus. I am pro-vaccination and feel it is the responsibility of all members of the community to ensure children are vaccinated appropriately as per country/state schedule.
Pro choice is mentioned in previous comments - what about the choices that the vulnerable groups in communities have or don't have especially if they are immuno-suppressed??
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Sue Johnson | 17-Oct-2009 1:45 am
I believe vaccination, as an invasive (experimental) procedure must be voluntary & am strongly opposed to mandatory vaccination - it defies the concept of informed consent if here is no opportunity for informed dissent. Re: Judith Willis idea of education from professionals not government- I am curious how you define the difference. Most health provider education is from organizations with accreditation & content authorized from various government institutions.
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pam fry | 11-Mar-2010 11:54 am
If you emigrate to the USA you will have to have a full immunisation records for you and your child, or they won't let you in.
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lisa sollis | 22-Apr-2010 5:35 pm
the government tried to force people to have the vaccine in the 1800 and it caused such an uproar it was eventually retracted. since then no government has had the courage to try and enforce it since. i agree that children should have the vaccine and my child has but i dont agree it should be compulsary.
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james brown | 1-May-2011 7:33 pm
There is absolutly no solid evidence for any bad effects of the MMR vaccination and there is only a low corrolation between the MMR jab and autism etc and to be frank you can find a low corrolation between just about anything the work of cirtain so called 'experts' is a load of bull they are simply experts at spinning lies!
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