MMR vaccination: Are we doing enough?

Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine has been the focus of much media attention recently in the UK. The measles and rubella (MR) vaccination campaign, which targeted over 8 million schoolchildren in late 1994, was accompanied by public concern about measles-containing vaccines. In 1996, the introduction of a second dose of MMR at school entry coincided with speculation in the media that measles and measles vaccination could be linked to Crohn's disease. More recently, it has been suggested that MMR vaccination could be linked with autism. Despite the weight of evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of MMR vaccination, public confidence has been dented, and coverage of MMR vaccine has dropped for the first time since its introduction. New initiatives are needed to persuade parents that it is safe to have their children immunized with MMR vaccine.