§ Miss KirkbrideTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if the advice issued in 1988 on the administration of the MMR vaccine to children included a choice of single vaccines. [28790]
§ Yvette CooperI apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer her to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.
The combined MMR vaccine was introduced as a replacement to the single measles vaccine and parents were advised to get their children immunised with the combined MMR vaccination. Single measles vaccine remained available for a short transitional period until the manufacturers of the vaccine advised the Department of Health that they no longer intended to supply single measles vaccine to the UK. Rubella vaccine remained part of the school girls immunisation programme until 1994 when it was discontinued. However, rubella vaccine remains available for rubella susceptible women and health care workers. Single mumps vaccine has never been routinely available.
I have placed in the Library copies of the 1988 leaflet which gave advice to parents as well as the media pack and the letter to the NHS from the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer that gave details of the introduction of the combined MMR vaccine.