An article was recently published in Adverse Drug Reactions and Toxicological Reviews (December 2000, v. 19, #4, 2000) which claims that the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine was licensed before adequate research on possible adverse events had been done.The Medicines Control Agency and the Department of Health in Britain and the World Health Organization have written responses to the article, and two British physicians have written an editorial commentary in the current edition of the British Medical Journal (January 27, 2001). Links to these are provided below.
Department of Health in Britain
Combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccines: Response of the Medicines Control Agency and Department of Health to issues raised in papers published in 'Adverse Drug Reactions and Toxicological Reviews, volume 19 no 4, 2000 '
http://www.doh.gov.uk/mmrresponse.htm
The World Health Organization
Statement on the Use of MMR Vaccine
http://www.who.int/vaccines-diseases/safety/hottop/mmrstatement.htm
British Medical Journal
MMR vaccine: the continuing saga
http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/322/7280/183
Additional materials that may be helpful in understanding this issue and responding to questions and concerns about alleged adverse events from the MMR vaccine include:
Science Finds No Link Between MMR Vaccine and Autism
http://www.immunizationinfo.org/features/featurearchivedetail.cfm?id=8
What Everyone Should Know About the Alleged Link Between Vaccines and Autism
http://www.immunizationinfo.org/features/featurearchivedetail.cfm?id=9
Should My Child Receive the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccines Individually Rather Than as a Combination?
http://www.immunizationinfo.org/features/featurearchivedetail.cfm?id=16
Measles, Mumps and Rubella Vaccine Fact Sheet (PDF file)
http://www.immunizationinfo.org/PDFs/2_MMR.pdf
Adverse Events that Follow Vaccines (PDF file)
http://www.immunizationinfo.org/PDRs/4_ADV.pdf
American Academy of Pediatrics, News Release: Vaccines are Safe and Effective
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/washing/aprvaccine.htm
American Academy of Pediatrics, Why Should I Immunize My Child?
http://www.aap.org/new/immpublic.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Birth Defects, Child Development, and Disability and Health
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/cddh/dd/ddautism.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Immunization Program
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vacsafe/concerns/autism/
National Alliance for Autism Research
http://www.naar.org/
National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/autism2.htm
