Forgotten your password?
already a member?
Made For Mums
  •  
  • home
  • my neighbourhood
  • reviews
  • news + gossip
  • age + stage
  • feeding
  • win + offers
  • forum
  • sign up
what's on | groups & classes | local chat | places to go | childcare & schools | eating out | health | help | add listing
pushchairs & travel systems | car seats | feeding | cots & nursery | carriers & slings | all products
celebrities | hot stuff | pregnancy | baby | toddler + | mums & dads | it's amazing | fashion | MFM blog
getting pregnant | pregnancy & birth | your baby | your toddler+ | your schoolchild | your family
starting to wean | 7-9 mths | 9-12 mths | 12 mths+ | recipes | what to buy | fussy eaters | nutrition | food safety | special diets
competitions & giveaways
birth clubs | baby clubs | chat | your say! | 15 mins of fame | pregnancy | baby | parenting | potty training
Toddler+
You are looking at: Home : News & Gossip : Toddler+

No MMR jab, no school

Public health expert calls for the MMR vaccination to be made compulsory.

Tweet
Posted: 3 June 2009
by Cassandra Kempster-Roberts

Children should not be able to go to school unless they have first had the MMR jab, the former chairman of the British Medical Association, Sir Sandy Macara, has said.

BBC News has reported that public health expert Sir Sandy is calling for the MMR vaccination to be made compulsory.

The number of children having the MMR jab dropped after controversial research incorrectly linked it to an increased risk of autism. To have full protection against measles, mumps and rubella, children need to have both MMR jabs, however one if four under 5 have not.

Due to these factors, there have been measles outbreaks across the UK. Experts at the Health Protection Agency fear a measles epidemic could be likely.

While controversial, having vaccinations and school admission interlinked is common in other countries, such as in the USA, most of Australia, Spain and Greece. In the UK, immunisation programmes have focused on persuading and educating parents that vaccination is of benefit to their child and to society.

Vaccine expert Professor Adam Finn, from Bristol, has said that while he sympathises with the concerns of Sir Sandy, he feels compulsory vaccination could result with less MMR take-up, not more.

“I think this would be handing a gift to the anti-vaccine lobby, because they would say, ‘Look they can’t persuade you it is right, so they are going to have to force you’,” commented Professor Finn.

What do you think of compulsory vaccination? Is it for the best? Let us know…


Previous story
Something Special tour announced
Next story
Researchers embark on £2.9m child tooth decay project

health, safety, vaccination, MMR, school, measles, mumps, rubella, childhood illness
TwitterStumbleUponFacebookDiggRedditGoogle

Related Content

Measles outbreak

More children having MMR jabs

Government fears measles epidemic

European measles outbreak spreads to UK

MMR/autism study accepted as “false”

Related Products

Boots Digestive Health Probiotic and Prebiotic


John Lewis Baby Home Safety pack

Tippitoes Twin Locking safety gate

Lindam Numi safety gate

So what do you think?

Momof4Dav

I think  it's an outrage that someone has the nerve to even consider that parents should be forced to give their children the MMR against their wishes.

If the government are so concerned about there being a Measles epidemic then why don't they pay a few more pounds and offer on the NHS the single jabs for the minority of parents who are refusing the MMR.

They wouldn't have to make it public knowledge just let the doctors offer it to the few patients who choose to not have the combined jab.

About 4 years ago
x.Laura.x
i think though as a parent if you refuse the mmr because of the risks you should then care for your child enough to pay for the single doses, i wouldnt care the cost to protect my children the mmr exists for a reason and i have a member of my family who lost there eyesight to measels. About 4 years ago
theoldwomanwholivesinashoe

Since the "evidence" that "proves" a link between MMR and autism is massively flawed it is on a very thin excuse that babies are not immunised.If a baby is at any risk from the jab,they run a far greater risk from the disease itself,never mind them spreading the disease to others.

At 11 months therefore too young for the jab my eldest daughter caught measles and was very ill.There is no need for that disease to exist in this country.

Autism is a genetic condition which naturally become apparent around the same time as the jab.Before that age you may well not notice many symptoms if any.It's only with hindsight you can attribute some of a baby's behaviour before that to autism.It is a massive assumption to make a connection between the two.

I have two autistic sons,there is a history of  this in our family,many people have undiagnosed autistic traits.There's an autistic spectrum and  many people lie anywhere on that,and it bears no relation to whether they had MMR or not.My aunt certainly didn't 70 + years ago.

If you don't believe in MMR by all means get a single jab.The government already foot the bill for a suitable measure of prevention based on SOUND medical evidence.Those that think they know better than the rest of us are welcome to pay for a single jab.Why should the NHS pay for something they already provide.

These diseases could be irradicated if all babies were immunised be that MMR or if you really must put your child through it in three single jabs do it that way

About 4 years ago
mummabear

Jc had his mmr this am-screamed the place down and tried to whack health visitor!!!

At the end of the day,you can still die of measles,and altho flimsy evidence linking autism to the jab,no-one dies of it.

Personally if there was alink,I'd rather have an autistic son than no son at all. The goverment has every right I believe,yes they should be available to have in singular doses-but it should be private cost.

About 4 years ago
Sarah Winters

Why inject against something that is basically unheard of? Rubella and mumps are so rare today, it's measles that's the bad one so they should offer a single measles on the nhs. Not all parents can afford to fork out for the jab so does that mean that lower income families should be forced into getting the mmr? I will never get my children the mmr and it's got nothing to do with autism, it's the fact that i don't agree with injecting babies with multiple live vaccines at once, so I get them singularly but recently my partner was made redundant and we don't have the money to spend on a measles jab at the minute.

About 3 years ago
See more comments...
What's going on in your neighbourhood

most popular

  • Read
  • Latest
  1. 1
    Chickens 'cleverer than toddlers' according to new study!
  2. 2
    Pregnant Katie Price angered after being "refused" sunbed session by salon
  3. 3
    Buyer's guides for pregnancy and baby gear - your step-by-step shopping advice
  4. 4
    The 10 best car seats - from 9 months
  5. 5
    10 of the best lightweight buggies under 6kg
  6. 6
    Kim Kardashian daughter’s name is leaked
  7. 7
    10 of the most compact folding buggies
  8. 8
    Kim Kardashian has her baby early!
  9. 9
    Channing Tatum steals the show with baby pic
  10. 10
    10 of the best double buggies for a toddler and baby
  1. 1
    The Twitterview: Tom Pellereau
  2. 2
    New app enables family to help with homework remotely
  3. 3
    It's National Picnic Week!
  4. 4
    Chickens 'cleverer than toddlers' according to new study!
  5. 5
    Kim Kardashian daughter’s name is leaked
  6. 6
    New ‘safer’ IVF technique: First baby born using method
  7. 7
    Kanye West is ‘in love’ with his first child
  8. 8
    10 of the best lightweight buggies under 6kg
  9. 9
    Robbie Williams says fatherhood makes him happy
  10. 10
    Pregnant Katie Price angered after being "refused" sunbed session by salon

question of the month poll

Did your baby suffer from constipation during the first six months of weaning?
10 of the best

news and gossip categories

  • Baby
  • Celebs
  • Fashion
  • Hot stuff
  • It's Amazing
  • MFM blog
  • Mums & Dads
  • Pregnancy
  • Toddler+

what's on in my neighbourhood
Looking for something to do this week - or even today? Take your pick...
Family activities and days out
Films and shows for children
Classes for babies and children
Pregnancy classes
Find more in your neighbourhood

discussions in my neighbourhood
What's the buzz in your area? Find out what everyone's talking about...
Buy, sell or find free family stuff
Meet up with other mums
Share what's going on in your community
Join in the chat about local classes
Find more in your neighbourhood

competitions

  • Fill in our feeding survey for a chance to win a unique MFM goody bag
    Closing date: 21/06/2013
  • Win 1 of 6 £50 BigGreenSmile Vouchers
    Closing date: 16/07/2013
  • Win 1 of 3 goodies from Higgidy pies and quiches
    Closing date: 17/07/2013
  • Win 1 of 15 Play Puppies and Puppy Pianos worth £40 each!
    Closing date: 31/07/2013
  • Win 1 of 10 fertility vitamins for men and women worth £60 each!
    Closing date: 31/07/2013
  • Win 1 of 20 Hoppy and Patch Pairs worth £30 each!
    Closing date: 16/07/2013
  • Win 1 of 20 Disney potty training systems worth £29.99 each!
    Closing date: 31/07/2013
Follow MadeForMums on Twitter
Other Parenting sites:
  • Junior
  • Practical Parenting & Pregnancy
  • ThinkBaby
  • MadeForMums
  • BabyExpert
Other Immediate sites:
  • GOLFmagic
  • OUTDOORSmagic
  • Visordown
  • Gardeners' World
  • RadioTimes
Become a fan on Facebook for exclusive content
Follow MadeForMums on Twitter
Subscribe to Practical Parenting & Pregnancy
Immediate Media Co
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookie policy
  • Terms + conditions
  • Advertise with us

© Immediate Media Company Ltd 2012. This website is owned and published by Immediate Media Company Limited. www.immediatemedia.co.uk

Version 2.8.53497.0