§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many cases known to her Department children vaccinated against measles and rubella in the last five years have developed symptoms of Guillain Barré syndrome; what research has been done by her Department or elsewhere into the causes of the syndrome; what action she will be taking or is considering; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. SackvilleGuillain Barré syndrome is a rare neurological condition that usually presents as acute flaccid paralysis. The condition is thought to have a post-infectious aetiology. In its detailed review of adverse effects of vaccines, the United States Institute of Medicine could find no evidence to support or reject a causal association between Guillain Barré syndrome and measles or rubella immunisation.
Three cases of Guillain Barré syndrome after measles, mumps and rubella vaccine have been reported to the committee on the safety of medicines since 1988. The reporting of a temporal association with immunisation does not necessarily imply causality. One case of Guillain Barré syndrome has been reported in association with the measles and rubella immunisation campaign. Further investigations are being undertaken into this case.
At the instigation of the Department of Health, the communicable disease surveillance centre of the public health laboratory service set up nationwide surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis—for which Guillain Barré syndrome is the commonest cause—between July 1991 and June 1994. The study is being analysed, but preliminary evaluation suggests that the number of cases reported in association with the measles and rubella 481W campaign are similar to those that could be expected in the absence of the campaign.