This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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CMO welcomes backing for MMR vaccine
28/03/2001
Commenting as the Health and Community Care Committee published its report into MMR, Dr Mac Armstrong, Scotland's Chief Medical Officer, today welcomed their conclusion that 'on the basis of currently available evidence, there is no proven scientific link between the MMR vaccine and autism or Crohn's disease'.
The Executive will make a full response to the Committee's report in due course.
Dr Armstrong said:
"The Committee has concluded that it 'does not recommend any change in the current immunisation programme at this time'. I welcome this finding.
"For almost 30 years throughout the world, parents have demonstrated their confidence in the combined MMR vaccine as the best and safest way to protect a child from the triple threat of mumps, measles and rubella. Figures show that, despite the recent controversy, nearly 93 per cent of parents in Scotland have continued to stick with the MMR vaccine. As a result, mumps, measles and rubella are at their lowest levels for decades.
"But parental support is vital to maintain any childhood immunisation programme. Government and health professionals need to provide more and better information about the MMR vaccine. We are currently developing comprehensive packs to support front-line health professionals and give parents the information they need in a language they can understand.
"These diseases bring lifelong disabilities like deafblindness, and sadly, loss of life for some. If they return, they will attack indiscriminately. The most vulnerable in our society - children with leukaemia for example - would be hardest hit. Even one death is too high a price to pay.
"I hope we can now work together - Parliament, Executive, health professions and parents - to ensure that this does not happen. The near eradication of these diseases is a real public health success story on which we should be trying to build.
"My advice today, as it has been consistently, is for parents to stick with the MMR. It is safe. It is working. And it is saving lives.
"I fully understand, however, concerns about the fact that more children are being recognised as suffering from autism. We simply do not know enough about what causes autism. What we do know is that no link can be found between the increased incidence of autism and the MMR vaccine. We are already spending some £6 million in the UK on research into autism. We must keep that under review. Only by understanding autism will we get closer to tackling it."
News Release: SE0835/2001
28 Mar 2001