HC Deb 29 March 1965 vol 709 cc189-90W
Mr. Park

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress is being made with the trials being conducted of a vaccine for the prevention of measles; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Crosland:

A small trial of measles virus vaccines was carried out by the Medical Research Council during the first quarter of 1964 in 299 children aged between 10–18 months old and a report has recently been published. The purpose of the investigation was to gain information on the development of antibody responses and the incidence of reactions which followed from four different schedules of immunisation.

Over 95 per cent. of children gave an antibody response, with the children given live vaccine alone showing a greater response than those given live vaccine after killed vaccine. Those receiving live vaccine alone, however, showed a higher incidence of reactions such as fever, rashes, upper respiratory symptoms and malaise than those given a preceding dose of inactivated vaccine. None of the children had more than a minor upset and all the schedules were regarded as acceptable. This preliminary trial was not expected to give direct information on the ability of the vaccine to protect against infection by the natural disease and a second trial has been started to obtain such information.

This protection trial began in the latter part of 1964 and approximately 47,000 children aged between 10 and 18 months were admitted to the investigation. In all about 11,000 children have been given a killed vaccine followed four weeks later by the live vaccine. About 9,000 children have been given live vaccine alone. The Epidemiological Research Laboratory of the Public Health Laboratory Service and a total of 14 local Health Authorities are taking part in the study, with general practitioners also co-operating. It is intended to follow up the children to record their experience in the current measles epidemic which is still active. Records of the inquiries made about the health of the children will require analysis and results cannot be known for some time. When the Report on this study is completed, it will be submitted to my right hon Friend the Minister of Health.