Government denies blame for measles outbreak

Dr Andrew Wakefield, who was struck off over the MMR controversy, said officials had appeared to be more concerned about protecting the MMR programme than they were about protecting children.

He wrote on a website that in 1998, following an analysis of studies of the safety of the MMR vaccine, which covers measles, mumps and rubella, he recommended the use of single measles vaccine in preference to MMR. “This remains my position.”

While MMR vaccination uptake fell from February 1998, there was a reciprocal increase in the uptake of the single vaccines, he said.

Children protected

“Vaccination clinics administered many thousands of doses of measles vaccine and children were ‘protected’.

“Six months later, in September 1998, the British government withdrew the importation licence for the single vaccines, effectively blocking this option for parents.

“Measles cases in the UK rose when the government withdrew the importation licence for the single measles vaccine leaving concerned parents with no choice.”

He added: “The government’s concern appeared to be to protect the MMR programme over and above the protection of children.”

Vaccine withdrawn

He said two MMR vaccine brands had to be withdrawn for safety reasons.

These had been approved despite warnings of the dangers. “These government officials put price before children’s health and have been seeking to cover up this shameful fact ever since.”

A Department of Health spokesman said: “Dr Andrew Wakefield’s claims are completely incorrect. Immunisation advice from the department has always kept the interests of patients paramount. Measles is a highly infectious and harmful disease. If your child has not had two doses of MMR, whatever their age, we urge you to contact your GP surgery and make an appointment.”

Almost 700 people have become infected in the Swansea area.

It was announced on Thursday that another 73 cases had been reported – bringing the total number infected there to 693.

Potentially fatal

Public Health Wales (PHW) has been urging parents of unvaccinated children across Wales to act immediately to ensure they are protected against the potentially fatal disease.

And it has warned that at least 6,000 children remain unvaccinated in the Swansea area alone.

Further drop-in vaccination clinics were taking place in South Wales today.

They were at hospitals in the Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan, Newport, Hengoed, Swansea, Bridgend and Port Talbot areas.

Last weekend more than 1,000 queued up for the MMR vaccination at clinics held across South Wales.

Outbreak spreading

Although the outbreak is centred on Swansea, cases have continued to be reported across the principality.

Most are in the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg health region, which also includes Neath, Port Talbot and Bridgend.

Cases have also been found in Powys and in the Hywel Dda Health Board area – which covers Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.

Typical symptoms of measles include fever, cough, conjunctivitis and a rash. Complications are quite common even in healthy people, and about 20% of reported measles cases experience one or more complications.

These can include ear infections, vomiting and diarrhoea, pneumonia, meningitis and serious eye disorders.

Before the introduction of the MMR jab in 1988, about half a million children caught measles each year in the UK. Approximately 100 of those died.

However, concerns over the jab’s safety were raised in the late 1990s when Dr Wakefield produced a since discredited paper suggesting MMR was linked to an increased risk of autism.