§ Mr. Laurence Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has commissioned into the side effects following (a) the single vaccination for mumps, measles and rubella and (b) the MMR vaccination; and if he will make a statement. [129029]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answer 11 September 2003]: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), with expert advice from the independent advisory committee the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) is responsible for ensuring that medicines and vaccines on the United Kingdom market meet appropriate standards of safety, quality and efficacy.
MMR (combined measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine and some single component measles, mumps and rubella vaccines are licensed in the UK. Licensed vaccines are assessed for safety prior to the licence being granted. Information on side-effects known to be associated with these vaccines is included in the relevant product information. As with all vaccines and medicines, after licensing, the MHRA and CSM keep the safety of MMR vaccine and single measles, mumps and rubella vaccines under continual review. The MHRA uses a number of data sources to monitor the safety of medicines and vaccines These include reports of suspected adverse drug reactions spontaneously provided by health professionals through the 'Yellow Card' scheme. This voluntary scheme has been in existence since 1964 and has a proven track record in identifying important new safety concerns with medicines. Other data sources include periodic reviews 68W of safety information submitted by the licence holders, medical literature and the results of any new clinical trials or epidemiological studies.
Many studies, including one commissioned by the MHRA (then the Medicines Control Agency) in 1998, have specifically investigated the alleged association between MMR vaccines and the development of autism and have found no evidence of a causal link. The CSM has considered these studies and the general safety of MMR vaccines on several occasions in recent years and its advice remains that MMR vaccine is the safest way to protect children from three potentially serious infections. This advice is consistent with the advice of expert bodies around the world. No studies are available that have examined the effects of giving single vaccines separately on a population.