MMR Vaccine (Hansard, 8 February 2001)

§ Mrs. Ewing
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when and for how long his Department reviewed the research carried out by Professor John O'Leary at Coombe Women's Hospital in Dublin on autism and the MMR vaccine; and what the conclusions of the review were. [149344]

§ Yvette Cooper
The United Kingdom health departments are advised on all matters concerning immunisation by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI reviewed a paper entitled 'Enterocolitis in children with developmental disorders', of which Professor O'Leary was a co-author, at its meeting of October 2000. The JCVI concluded that the paper did not provide any new evidence to alter its views on the safety of MMR vaccine.
We are aware that Professor O'Leary also gave a presentation to the United States of America Congressional Oversight Committee on Autism and Immunisation in April 2000. The material presented to the Oversight Committee has, as far as we are aware, not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

§ Mrs. Ewing
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) MMR, (b) MR, (c) single antigen measles, (d) single antigen rubella and (e) single antigen mumps vaccines were administered in the United Kingdom in each year since 1979. [149364]

§ Yvette Cooper
The information available about measles, mumps and rubella, single antigen measles and single antigen rubella vaccinations given in England from 1979 to 1998–99 is contained in the table. Measles vaccine was given to children aged 12–15 months. Rubella vaccine was given to girls at about 10–14 years. Mumps vaccine has never been a part of the United Kingdom's routine immunisation programme and data on this were not collected.
MMR vaccine was introduced into the routine UK childhood immunisation programme at age 12–15 months in 1988. MR (measles/rubella) vaccine was used only during the schools immunisation campaign of November 1994. In England, 6.6 million doses of MR vaccine were administered to children aged 5–16 years during that campaign.
A second dose of MMR vaccine was introduced into the routine programme in 1996. Data for this vaccine, collected by the Public Health Laboratory Service, Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, show uptake of 477,000 (in 661W 1996–97), 933,000 (in 1997–98) and 455,000 (in 1998–99). These figures include doses administered both routinely and during a catch-up programme.
Matters concerning Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are for the devolved Assemblies.

Number of persons immunised in England

Thousand

Year MMR: first dose Single antigen measles Single antigen rubella: Schoolgirls immunized¹

1979 ²— 332 341

1980 ²— 352 320

1981 ²— 369 313

1982 ²— 391 324

1983 ²— 393 315

1984 ²— 436 312

1985 ²— 474 269

1986 ²— 503 270

1987–88³ ²— 647 307

1988–89 670 336 229

1989–90 1,371 25 219

1990–91 1,060 9 199

1991–92 811 ²— 221

1992–93 628 ²— 204

1993–94 640 ²— 181

1994–95 671 ²— 2

1995–96 572 ²— 2

1996–97 561 ²— ²—

1997–98 553 ²— ²—

1998–99 531 ²— ²—

¹ The schoolgirl rubella immunisation programme was ended in October 1995.

² Not available

³ Numbers immunised cover 15 month period from 1 January 1987–31 March 1988.

Sources:
Forms SBL 607, KC50, KC50A Department of Health, Statistics division SD2B

Number of persons immunised in England
Thousand
Year	MMR: first dose	Single antigen measles	Single antigen rubella: Schoolgirls immunized¹
1979	²—	332	341
1980	²—	352	320
1981	²—	369	313
1982	²—	391	324
1983	²—	393	315
1984	²—	436	312
1985	²—	474	269
1986	²—	503	270
1987–88³	²—	647	307
1988–89	670	336	229
1989–90	1,371	25	219
1990–91	1,060	9	199
1991–92	811	²—	221
1992–93	628	²—	204
1993–94	640	²—	181
1994–95	671	²—	2
1995–96	572	²—	2
1996–97	561	²—	²—
1997–98	553	²—	²—
1998–99	531	²—	²—
¹ The schoolgirl rubella immunisation programme was ended in October 1995.
² Not available
³ Numbers immunised cover 15 month period from 1 January 1987–31 March 1988.