§ Lord Swinfenasked Her Majesty's Government:
What immunopathological studies they have undertaken, or propose to undertake, to establish whether a pathogenic factor can be identified in children who react adversely to the measles, mumps and rubella jab. [HL4243]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath)Adverse reactions known to be associated with combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines and contraindications for MMR are listed in the product information for the MMR products. These are also described inImmunisation Against Infectious Disease (a copy of which is available in the Library) and are detailed in materials for parents, such as "MMR—The Facts". In many cases, as with most medicines and vaccines, the risk factors for the development of adverse reactions to MMR vaccine are not known.
The Department of Health has recently funded an international study, to be conducted by the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, to assess further proposed immunopathological mechanisms for the postulated association between measles virus and MMR vaccines and the development of autism and inflammatory bowel disease.
The safety of MMR vaccines is kept under continuous review by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) and the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM). Any new research that may emerge in relation to possible immunopathological risk factors for adverse reactions to MMR vaccines would be carefully reviewed by the MCA and CSM.