§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to offer parents a choice between separate injections measles, mumps and rubella and the combined MMR vaccination. [142850]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 18 December 2000]: Delivery of measles, mumps and rubella as three separate vaccines has never been recommended in the United Kingdom. Single antigen measles and mumps vaccines are not licensed in the UK. The importation of unlicensed single antigen measles and mumps vaccines is restricted by the Medicines Control Agency under the Medicines Act 1986. There is no evidence that the use of single vaccines benefits children and evidence that their use may put children at significant disadvantage. The evidence shows that MMR remains the safest way for parents to protect their children and the Department cannot support the use of separate vaccines and has no plans to make separate vaccines available.