§ Dr. Mawhinneyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the outcome of his consideration of the various studies into complications following whooping cough vaccination; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. VaughanMy right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland have received the Reports from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and the Committee on Safety of Medicines on possible risks to children vaccinated against whooping cough. They are being published today in one volume and a copy has been placed in the Library.
The conclusion reached by the committees is that, although the vaccine may lead to neurological damage in a small number of children, the benefits of vaccination outweigh the possible risks. They recommend that vaccination should continue as part of the basic course of immunisation in childhood. My right hon. Friends have accepted these conclusions.
257WThe JCVI says that, although proof is not absolute, perhaps one in 100,000 children who have the full course of three injections of the vaccine may be damaged to some extent. Damage to even one child is a tragedy but the risk of this must by weighed against death and damage from the disease itself.
I am arranging for copies of the reports to be sent to regional and area health authorities. General practitioners, area medical and nursing officers are being sent copies of commentaries on the reports by the Committee on Safety of Medicines and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.