Re: Vaccination of Adults Against Rubella and Measles MMR

[Guest guest]

> I too wonder about my RA & my MMR shot as a child. I was very ill from it and

> in the hospital. Even Mayo Rheumatologists have mentioned the possible

> connection.

From ALLY (216.221.108.26)

http://www.mall-net.com/cgibin/chat.cgi/arth.log

http://www.autismuk.com/index1sub4.htm#our

      S.F.T.A.H.  Society For The Autistically Handicapped.

 Vaccines. FACT SHEET Vaccines. FACT SHEET (Measles/Autism.)

Also see Treatments Pages

Also see BREAKING NEWS.

Vaccines. FACT SHEET.

Mumps, Measles and Rubella (MMR) Vaccines and Measles Rubella (MR) Vaccines.

Under construction. FACT SHEET

By: Barr, Kirsten Limb.

Solicitors.

1 Dyers Buildings, London. EC1N 2TJ

Telephone: (+44) (0)171 430 5555 Fax:0171 430 5500 Email:

info@...

 

This factsheet concentrates on the medical, scientific and ethical issues

relating to the MMR/MR vaccines. It is regularly updated. This version was

updated on 3rd June 1997.

Nothing in this factsheet should be taken to be medical advice. Vaccination

decisions should be made only after proper consultation with your medical

adviser.

 

Contents

Also see treatments

A personal comment.

Introduction.

Background: Setting the illnesses in context.

The vaccines.

Safety and effectiveness of the vaccines.

Side effects: the official view.

Side effects: our investigations.

Conclusion.

A Personal Comment.

Top of Page

We came to this subject with an open mind. Like everyone else, we had our

children vaccinated, and believed that the assurances given about vaccine

safety were accurate. Then one day, as sometimes happens in a solicitor's

office, we had a new case which changed everything. One anxious mother

contacted us because her son had developed meningitis after receiving the

MMR vaccine. We investigated the claim, found that vaccine had indeed caused

the meningitis, but fortunately for that child, we also established that

there would be no long term consequences.

Then in 1992 there were " changes in supply " (see later) in relation to two

of the brands of the MMR vaccine, and we were contacted by a number of

families over the safety of the vaccine. After some early difficulties over

legal aid, we then started to do some serious investigation.

What we found (particularly in relation to the lack of long term safety

studies for these vaccines) is really quite astonishing. Gradually a picture

emerged which was far more complex than we expected, and which slowly led us

to believe that there are some serious questions which need to be answered

about these vaccines.

We know of hundreds of children who were fit and well before being

vaccinated but who are now chronically ill or seriously mentally or

physically disabled.

We would be relieved if it could be established conclusively that the

vaccines were not implicated in any of these injuries or illnesses. It would

vindicate those who have formulated vaccine policy and it would reassure

parents..

We know that many parents find it difficult to come to terms with the fact

that their child might have been damaged by a vaccine. If the damage is

caused by some natural illness then it is something over which they have no

control; but if it was caused by a vaccine then inevitably many parents will

feel guilty for agreeing to have their child vaccinated. In reality they had

very little control over this decision either, because of lack of

information given to parents.

Far from clutching at straws to find an excuse for their child's illness,

for many parents the realisation that the vaccine which they allowed to be

given to their child might have caused injury is very hard to cope with.

Nonetheless, IF there is even a small possibility that the vaccines are

causing the type of damage we discuss later in this factsheet, then it is

right that the concerns should be brought out into the open.

But that is easier said than done. There is enormous secrecy surrounding

vaccines. It is not even possible to obtain a copy of the Product Licence

for any of the vaccines. An example of this secrecy can be shown in this

exchange of Parliamentary Question and Answer.

Q. To ask the Secretary of State...... if he will list for each of the nine

MMR vaccines for which the product licences has been cancelled, the date on

which the product licence was granted; whether the licensing of the vaccine

was on the advice of the Committee on Safety of Medicines; on what date each

cancellation took place; what safety concerns had been identified for each

vaccine by the Medicines Control Agency and under whose direction the

licence was withdrawn.

A. With reference to the dates of granting of the nine Measles Mumps and

Rubella vaccines I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon.

Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr ) on 12 March at column 263.

Information regarding the cancellation of product licences is commercially

confidential. The recommendations of the Committee on Safety of Medicines

are confidential

(1) (Our underlining)

1 Parliamentary questions written answers. 19 March 1997 PQ 2313/1966/7

So much for open government. Indeed informed debate appears to be

discouraged and -- we have to say it - even suppressed (but, as this latest

version is being prepared, we have a change of Government. Perhaps things

will change).

Those who in any way challenge the safety of vaccines are publicly

discredited. We have ourselves been accused of being " ambulance chasers " of

being fanatically anti-vaccine.

ITN News at Ten filmed and edited a news item about the vaccines, but it was

shelved after representations from the Department of Health.

One of the leading medical journals in this country has forbidden us to

quote directly in this factsheet from peer reviewed articles about vaccine

safety, again apparently because of pressure from the Department of Health.

This is so despite the fact that these articles are published scientific

studies.

What follows therefore is an attempt to air an issue of serious concern to

the parents of hundreds of injured children.

Solicitors do not normally give many details of their cases outside the

court room; but in this fact sheet is some (not all by any means) of our

evidence. We want to get to the truth of the matter. We invite comments from

all quarters. If we are wrong, then we want it to be shown that we are

wrong. So far there has, for instance, been no significant challenge to our

assertion that there have been no long term (2) safety trials of these

vaccines.

FN 2 i.e. where the condition of the vaccinated children is monitored over a

period of years after vaccination. Apparently it just has not been done.

There has been very little research into the causes of autism (numerically

the largest side effect reported).

We want to encourage doctors, the Department of Health and of course parents

to think about the issues; to consider possibilities and to look

dispassionately at what seems to many parents to be staring them in the

face.

It is just not good enough for parents of children who had no disability

before being vaccinated to be told that the permanent brain damage they now

suffer was just coincidence. Their cases merit serious scientific

investigation.

At the same time we acknowledge that there could be coincidences,

particularly when huge numbers of children are being vaccinated.

In spite of what is sometimes said about us, we have a completely open mind.

It may be that our research (and the research of the experts we have spoken

to) is flawed and that these vaccines and not implicated in any way in the

widespread injury reported to us.

But if the reverse is true, then the public and the parents of damaged

children should know about it. Proper compensation (as opposed to the

pitiful vaccine damage payment - see later) should be paid; and proper

research should be carried out.

Barr, Kirsten Limb.

 

Return to Vaccines. FACT SHEET (Measles) Contents.

Introduction.

Background: Setting the illnesses in context.

The vaccines.

Safety and effectiveness of the vaccines.

Side effects: the official view.

Side effects: our investigations.

Conclusion.

Return to menu

Top of Page

Introduction.

In this factsheet we give specific information about the MMR and MR vaccines

and their side effects. Our objective is two-fold. Primarily we have to

operate within the English Legal System, which in this context functions

only in terms of financial compensation. Our aim therefore is to help

families whose children have been affected by the vaccines to obtain proper

compensation for their injuries. We hope to be using law that was introduced

into this country in 1988 as a result of European Community directives. This

new law (the Consumer Protection Act 1987) imposes strict liability on the

manufacturers of products which are unsafe. However, because vaccines are

such an emotive issue, we have gone further and tried to set the whole

subject in context. What follows is an overview of the vaccines, which we

hope will give full information not only to the families we are seeking to

help but also to those (including medical practitioners) who have found it

difficult to obtain detailed information about these childhood diseases and

immunisation against them.

We have tried to keep a balanced view about the benefits and risks of

immunisation, but as we have researched deeper into the issues it has become

harder to do so.

We have read and heard many harrowing accounts of the injuries that children

(and adults) have suffered after the vaccines have been administered. We

have listened to the dismissive comments from representatives of the

Government and some members of the medical profession. We are now worried

that the safety information about these vaccines may not be entirely

accurate.

We are also seriously concerned that safety monitoring for these vaccines

appears to fall far short of what the public is entitled to expect.

On top of that, the information given to parents is certainly lamentably

incomplete.

We are concerned that risks associated with the actual illnesses may have

been exaggerated, perhaps to frighten people into having their children

vaccinated. We have also included references to and quotations from source

material. This represents a tiny fraction of the information we hole, which

runs to hundreds of papers on MMR and vaccines generally. Feel free to show

this factsheet to your medical advisors. We believe that we can substantiate

every statement made in this factsheet from mainstream medical literature.

Where possible we have given the source material in footnotes. It is quite

significant that many of the medical and scientific findings we have

researched are not new: the information about the mechanisms which cause

side effects was available to the medical and scientific community years

ago. We will be happy to supply more information either to you or to your

doctor.

 

Return to Vaccines. FACT SHEET (Measles) Contents.

Background: Setting the illnesses in context.

The vaccines.

Safety and effectiveness of the vaccines.

Side effects: the official view.

Side effects: our investigations.

Conclusion.

Return to menu

Top of Page

Background: Setting the illnesses in context.

Something curious has happened to the " official " perception of the childhood

diseases which are the subject of the MMR or MR vaccines (Measles, Mumps,

Rubella). They have all officially become more serious since vaccines were

introduced.

It is instructive to put the three diseases into perspective. The following

extracts and summaries are from two family health guides published 13 years

apart:

The MacMillan Guide to Family Health, and authoritative health manual edited

by Dr Tony the deputy editor of the British Medical Journal and

published in 1982 (3); and

3. The version we quote from is a 1985 reprint

the British Medical Association Complete Family Health Encyclopaedia

published in 1985 (first published 1990). This is also edited by Dr Tony

.

We have chosen the first publication because it came out some years before

MMR vaccines were introduced into this country. It has been observed by Dr

Viera Scheibner (4) that diseases inexplicably appear to become more

dangerous at about the time when new vaccines are introduced. Contrast the

entries in the two publication.

4. An Australian PhD who has made a considerable study of vaccines. She is

the author of " VACCINATION The medical assault on the Immune System " .

Mumps

From the MacMillan Guide to Family Health 1982:

" Mumps is a common infectious disease caused by a virus. After an incubation

period of 2-4 weeks the salivary glands swell, the parotid gland (just in

front of the ear) is particularly infected. Swelllings are usually

accompanied by a raised temperature and a general feeling of illness. It is

probably the most common childhood infectious disease but not as contagious

as measles.

" A fairly common risk of mumps is the swelling of testes in a boy or the

ovaries in a girl. This is much more common in an adult. Invariably the

swelling goes down after a few days leaving no ill effects. It is

excessively rare for the swelling to cause sterility. A rare complication is

acute pancreatitis which passes within a few days. " Mumps is generally a

mild disease. The usual outcome is complete recovery within about 10 days "

In contrast 1995 --

From the British Medical Association Complete Family Health Encyclopaedia

1995:

" Mumps is an acute viral illness mainly of childhood.... Serious

complications are uncommon. However, in teenage and adult males, mumps can

be a highly uncomfortable illness in which one of both testes become

inflamed and swollen.... Most infections are acquired at school or from

infected family members. In the U.S., where many states required proof of

mumps vaccination for school entry, the incidence has dropped markedly over

the last 20 years. In the U.K. by contrast, before routine immunisation was

introduced in 1988, mumps affected a large proportion of the population at

sometime in their lives, usually between the ages of 5 and 10. An occasional

complication of mumps is meningitis----- A less common complication of mumps

is pancreatitis which causes abdominal pain and vomiting. In males after

puberty, orchitis (inflammation of the testes) develops in about a quarter

of the cases. Subsequently the affected testis may shrink to smaller than

normal size. In rare cases, mumps orchitis affects both testes leading to

infertility. " (The book also contains strong warnings about the consequences

of older people coming into contact with those infected with mumps.)

Rubella (German Measles)

From the MacMillan Guide to Family Health 1982

" This is a very mile infectious disease - in the majority of children who

catch it, it causes no more inconvenience that a common cold. The incubation

period is 14-21 days and the first symptoms are a slightly raised

temperature, swollen glands behind the ears and a rash appearing on the

first or second day first on the face and then spreading to the rest of the

body. By the fourth or fifth day, all symptoms have faded away.

" It is slightly less common than measles and not as highly contagious so

does not occur in epidemics in quite the same way.

" Like other childhood diseases, German measles carries the risk of

encephalitis though this occurs in only one case in 6000. A more common

complication, particularly in adults is stiff swollen joints (infectious

arthritis).

" Because German measles is such a mild disease, little specific treatment is

required but the disease is known to cause damage to babies developing in

the uterus. It is therefore essential to contact any pregnant woman who has

been exposed to German measles. "

The British Medical Association Complete Family Health Encyclopaedia 1995:

The book does not emphasise the seriousness of the illness as much as it

does in respect of measles and mumps but does state that vaccines are long

lasting in their effect.

Measles

From the MacMillan Guide to Family Health 1982

" Measles is a highly contagious disease which chiefly affects the skin and

respiratory tract. It is a notifiable disease. The incubation period is

10-14 days. The first symptoms are raised temperature, runny nose, red

watering eyes, dry cough and sometimes diarrhoea. By the third day the

temperature falls and tiny white spots like grains of salt appear inside the

mouth. On the fourth and fifth days temperature rises again and the

characteristic measles rash appears, starting on the forehead and behind the

ears and gradually spreading to the rest of the body but not usually the

limbs. By the sixth day the rash is fading and by the seventh day all the

symptoms have gone.

" In the vast majority of children who catch measles the disease disappears

within 10 days and the only after effect is lifelong immunity to another

attack.(5)

5. Contrast with the vaccine, which clearly does not give lifelong immunity.

In contrast 1995 --

From the British Medical Association Complete Family Health Encyclopaedia

1995:

The following are quotations from the book. Note the difference in emphasis

and detail.

" A potentially dangerous viral illness that causes a characteristic rash and

a fever... Measles was once very common throughout the world occurring in

epidemics. It is now less common in developed countries due to

immunisation " .

" Prevention of measles is important because it can have rare but serious

complications... It can also be serious, and sometimes fatal, in children

with impaired immunity (such as those being treated for Leukaemia and those

affected with AIDS virus). In developing countries measles is still common,

accounting for more than one million deaths every year, especially in

malnourished children whose defences against infection are seriously

impaired. "

" The most common complications are ear and chest infections. Diarrhoea

vomiting and abdominal pain also occur. Febrile convulsions are common with

measles and are not usually serious. A serious complication, occurring in

about one in a thousand cases is encephalitis (inflammation of the brain),,,

Seizures and coma may follow sometimes leading to mental retardation or even

death. Very rarely (in about one in a million cases) a progressive brain

disorder, known as SSPE, develops years after the acute illness. Measles

during pregnancy results in the death of the foetus in about one fifth of

the cases. "

" Immunisation against measles is usually offered at about 15 months of age

and produces immunity in about 97% of the cases. Side effects of the measles

vaccine are generally rare. "

[No mention of the serious side effects of the vaccine]

Measles viewed in 1967

Another example of the apparent change in the nature of measles is this

extract from a paper by BM B.Ch, of the National Institute

for Medical Research London published in 1967 one year before the measles

vaccine was introduced on a wide scale.

" Measles is not the commonest infectious disease of childhood in the United

Kingdom. It occurs in biennial epidemics in which the total number of cases

exceeds half a million, and between these peaks there is a continuous

substantial incidence. There is no doubt that most of these cases in England

today are mild, last only for a short period, are not followed by

complications and are rarely fatal, but this is not the whole picture and

other factors have to be considered.

" OPPOSING VIEWS: Measles is always a social nuisance whenever it occurs and

nearly always an unpleasant episode for the child and the family. Most

children develop measles during pre-school or early school life, and when

more than one child is infected at the same time it is an exhausting and

trying period for the mother, especially if she goes out to work. Outbreaks

in schools and hospital wards also cause waste of time and inconvenience,

and there have been severe outbreaks in the Armed Forces. To the doctor and

epidemic of measles means an increase in work in the late winter and early

spring when he is already especially busy. A recent survey in a number of

areas in this country (unpublished) showed that the majority of measles

cases are visited at least twice by the general practitioner, and in many

cases more than twice. This is a heavy burden on the National Health

Service, which also bears the cost of antibiotics with which most cases are

treated.

" In spite of these factors, some physicians consider that measles is so mild

a complaint that a major effort at prevention is not justified. On the other

hand, others believe that, on the whole, the implications of an epidemic are

serious and that the disease should be prevented if possible. These opposing

views are of topical importance in considering what use should be made of

measles vaccines " (6).

The Practitioner November 1967 pg 607. [in fairness, the article still goes

on to argue that children should be vaccinated against measles, but it is

interesting that the emphasis seems to be much more on the poor overworked

doctor than the dangers of the disease].

Measles viewed in 1979.

In the well respected publication The Theory and Practice of Public

Health(7) it stated

7. The Theory and Practice of Public Health Edited W Hobson. 5th Edition.

Oxford University Press 1979

" While the infectivity of measles is still very high in all types of

population and environment, the results of infection vary greatly. In

Britain and many other developed countries today measles has lost much of

its severity, but the disease can still sweep through virgin populations

with great ferocity... On the other hand immunity is probably lifelong, and

when measles has invaded an isolated community, older members have been

protected by immunity acquired over sixty years earlier. In developing of

underdeveloped countries measles may still cause serious complications and

carry a fatality rate of up to 25 per cent. " (8)

8. Ibid. at page 236

In contrast 1994 --

From: MEASLES why every child in school needs to be protected from measles

this autumn. 1994 [Health Education Authority/Department of Health

Publication] (9)

9. This booklet was issued to millions of families in the autumn of 1994

before that start of the Measles Rubella vaccination campaign. See later.

" Unfortunately, measles can be much more serious than most people think.

School-age children who get it are likely to be very ill. These children

will have a high temperature, a rash, a cough, a cold and sore eyes. Other

symptoms are headaches and not liking bright light. Measles can cause

pneumonia, blindness, deafness and even brain damage. Measles can also be

fatal. In fact it is the disease most likely to cause inflammation of the

brain. This is known as 'encephalitis'. Worryingly, four out of five

children who get this kind of encephalitis will suffer long-term brain

damage. "

Our reason for emphasising this apparent change in the perception of the

illnesses is to raise a question-mark over the rationale for MR or MMR

vaccines.

Vaccination is an invasive procedure. Children, once vaccinated, are

inevitably put on direct risk (however large or small that risk might be) of

vaccination side effects. On the other hand, if nature is allowed to take

its course, they may never catch all or any of the illnesses; and if they

do, the evidence suggests that their immunity to further attacks will be far

greater than is provided by any vaccine.

Furthermore, there is some evidence that catching measles actually protects

children against some conditions, such as allergies. A recent trial in

Guinea-Bissau found that 25.8% of participants who had the measles vaccine

suffered from allergies, as opposed to 12.8% who had the wild measles. (10)

10. S O Shaheen, P Aaby et al. Lancet 29 June 1996. Vol 347 pp 1792-1796

In the Immunisation Awareness Newsletter of December 1991, other advantages

of catching measles are considered, as this passage shows:

" The advent of complications during these diseases essentially depends on

the age and the health of the child, as well as on treatment. We have lost

the common sense and the wisdom that used to prevail in the approach to

childhood diseases. Too often, instead of reinforcing the organism's

defences, fever and symptoms are relentlessly suppressed. This is not always

without consequences over the development of the disease. On the other hand,

given the depth to which the child's organism is affected by the disease

measles, for example, there can also be positive consequences. For the

child's organism to defeat a disease by its own means, enables it to mature

its immune system and develop increased resistance. The latter will be

useful for the organism against other diseases during childhood, and

likewise in adulthood. Over many generations, parents, doctors, and

educators have noted that children may go through an important stage of

their development thanks to a childhood disease. Conditions in which

heredity is a factor, such as eczema, asthma, or recurring infections of the

respiratory system, may be improved or even cured after measles.

" This 'cure potential' of childhood diseases can be demonstrated by an

example. There is a serious childhood disease affecting the kidneys,

nephrotic syndrome, in which the kidneys lose their vital excretion function

as a result of disturbed immunological processes. Up until the 1960s, at the

Bale University Paediatrics Clinic, artificial infection with the measles

was used to treat this syndrome; this brought about at least an improvement

in most cases. " (11)

11. Immunisation Awareness Society Incorporated PO Box 56048, Dominion Road,

Auckland, New Zealand. (ISSN 1170-7208), Vol 4 No 3, Page 7. Those in the

medical profession might regard this passage as being " on the fringe " , but

the assertions made are backed up by several references to medical

literature (as does the Lancet paper we have just cited). We will be happy

to supply details of those references.

The process of vaccination involves submission to a medical procedure for

the benefit of a community, not just for oneself or one's immediate family.

Therefore, for a vaccination to be justified, there must be:

-- a serious threat from the disease(s), and

-- a significant benefit from the vaccine.

If the diseases are not as serious as they are now claimed to be (and we

have found no indication that any of them has become more serious in the

past 15-20 years - quite the reverse) (12) and if the vaccines are more

dangerous than they are admitted to be, then the risk/benefit ratio is

altered. At the very least, parents should know about it.

12. Live measles vaccine: a 21 year follow up. BM. The

British Medical Journal, 1987 Jul 4. 295(6589, pp 22-24. Note the following

extract:

" During the 21 years doctors assessed more cases of measles as being mild in

vaccinated than in unvaccinated participants. The difference was highly

significant (p<0.001) between 1964 and 1972, but as reported cases became

fewer the difference was no longer significant. During the 9 years only five

cases (three of them in the unvaccinated group and two in the group

vaccinated with killed and live vaccine) were described as severe, and no

complications or deaths were reported. "

Behind the scenes, it is acknowledged that vaccines are indeed not as safe

as they could be:

" The goals of immunisation are to eradicate infectious diseases while

minimising morbidity caused by the vaccine, particularly to prevent

neurological damage. The object of the study is to evaluate neurological

complications associated with the immunisation. Immunisation is an important

public health measure. Acute reactions warrant support for development of

improved vaccines " . (13)

13. Immunisations and brain damage, Iannetti P, Spalice A, Terenzi S, Raucci

U, Parisi P, PEDIATR-OGGI-MED-CHIR, 14/3 (31-36) 1994

If vaccines are so safe why do they need to be improved?

 

Return to Vaccines. FACT SHEET (Measles) Contents.

The vaccines.

Safety and effectiveness of the vaccines.

Side effects: the official view.

Side effects: our investigations.

Conclusion.

Return to menu

Top of Page

The vaccines.

MMR Vaccines The MMR vaccines were introduced in October 1988, as part of a

campaign to reduce childhood illness. They are a triple vaccine, using the

mumps, measles and rubella live viruses.

Problems with MMR vaccines

Until September 1992 there were three types of MMR vaccine available:

IMMRAVAX Manufactured by Merieux UK Ltd

PLUSERIX-MMR Manufactured by Kline Beecham

MMR (11) Manufactured by Merck Sharpe & Dohme distributed by Wellcome. (On

recent data sheets this product is now shown as being distributed by Pasteur

Merieux MSD Ltd)

Pluserix and Immravax vaccines contain the Urabe strain of mumps vaccine

virus; MMR (11) vaccine contains the Jeryl Lynn strain of mumps vaccine

virus.

On 14 September 1992 the Chief Medical Officer announced that there were to

be " changes in the supply of vaccine " . From that date onwards, only MMR(11)

would be available. The following is an extract from his letter giving the

reasons for withdrawal:

" This change in vaccine supply arrangements has been considered prudent

following reports of generally mild transient meningitis caused by the mumps

vaccine virus in some children who recently received the Urabe mumps vaccine

containing products, Pluserix-MMR or Immravax. The rate of post-immunisation

meningitis following Jeryl Lynn mumps vaccine (which MMR (11) contains) is

much lower.

" Incidence of mumps virus meningitis:

" Meningitis after natural mumps has been reported to occur at a rate of

approximately 1 per 400 cases.

" Studies recently undertaken in one Public Health Laboratory, and supported

by similar studies in several other Public Health Laboratories, suggest that

the incidence of virus positive post-immunisation meningitis from the Urabe

strain of mumps vaccine virus may be approximately 1 in 11000 immunised

children. (14)

14. See later under the heading " Under-reporting of side effects " . The Chief

Medical Officer seems to have got this wrong. One investigation found the

incidence of side effects to be as low as one in 4000. See also notes at the

end of this section.

This rate of vaccine-associated meningitis is appreciable (sic) lower than

that reported after natural mumps infection.

" Vaccine-associated meningitis occurs around three weeks after immunisation

generally. In those instances reported so far it appears to be a milder and

more transient illness than meningitis from wild virus. This is what one

might expect with an attenuated virus. The risk benefit ration therefore

remains strongly in favour of the immunisation of all children with any MMR

vaccine. However the MMR(11) vaccine is preferred where this is available

because of the much lower risk of vaccine associated meningitis. " (15)

15. Letter date 14 September 1992 to all doctors in England from Dr K C

Calman Chief Medical Officer.

Even though the Chief Medical Officer mentioned only " changes in supply " ,

both Immravax and Pluserix have subsequently been withdrawn altogether. (16)

16. Announcement made in British National Formulary March 1993. The

Department of Health has told us that the products are still licensed.

Nonethe- less they are not being used at all in this country.

We are troubled that there seems to be a certain amount of massaging of the

figures. In the passage just quoted, side effects of one in 11,000 are

mentioned. Later, it will be seen that they were brought down to 1 in 4000.

But even that is not the end of the story as this extract from a Japanese

study about the safety of MMR vaccines (with the Urabe mumps strain) will

show:

" During the 8-month period extending from April to October, 1989, in Gunma

Prefecture, 11,750 children received MMR vaccination according to

information supplied by the prefectural health center. The incidence of MMR

meningitis was estimated to be 0.11% in the virus-positive group and 0.30%

in the three groups. 2640 and 1320 children received MMR vaccination in

September and October, respectively. Twelve children in the virus-positive

group, 10 in the serum-positive group and 6 in the clinical group received

vaccination in these two months. The incidence of virus-positive,

serum-positive and clinical meningitis was 0.3%, 0.25% and 0.15%

respectively Total 0.71% " (17)

17. A prefecture-wide survey of mumps meningitis associated with measles,

mumps and rubella vaccine. TAKASHI FUJINAGA, MD. YOUICHI MOTEGI, MD, HIROSHI

TAMURA, MD ANDTAKAYOSHI KUROUME, MD.

Paediatric Infectious Disease Journal ® March 1991 Vol 10 No 3.

We have a letter from the Japanese Department of Viral Disease and Vaccine

Control which indicates that from April 1993 the use of the MMR vaccine (all

types) was stopped in Japan and that vaccines would be available only in

their monovalent form (i.e. single virus) (18)

18. Letter dated 26 October 1994 from Akin Yamada of Department of Viral

Disease and Vaccine Control.

Comment

The Japanese finding indicate that adverse reactions to these types of MMR

vaccine were up to 78 times as frequent as our Government Chief Medical

Officer of Health has admitted (19).

19. 7.1/1000 = 78.1/11,000

If these figures are correct, then the vaccine is more dangerous than the

illness; and it does not give a great deal of confidence that the Government

has got its figures (or information about safety or side effects) right.

Note also that this article was published in March 1991. Yet the two brands

of MMR implicated with these side effects were not withdrawn until September

1992, some 18 months later.

Indeed TRIVIRIX (a MMR vaccine containing the Urabe strain virus) was

withdrawn in Canada in May 1990. (20)

20 Canada Diseases Weekly Report December 15 1990 Vol, 16-50 p253.

Why did the UK Government take till 1992 to withdraw it?

The arrival on the scene of the MR Vaccine

In the autumn of 1994 it was announced that the Government feared an

epidemic of measles and it was aimed to vaccinate all children between the

ages of 5 and 16 with the Measles/Rubella vaccine.

Not everyone agrees that an epidemic was imminent or that such a widespread

vaccination campaign was necessary. (21)

21. See Bulletin of Medical Ethics No 110(July/August 1995); See also

response from the Public Health Laboratory Service in the Bulletin of

January 1996, pages 16-23.

The story goes back further than that - to the MMR vaccines.

The two brands of MR Vaccine which were used in the schools campaign are

produced by the same manufacturers as were the two brands of MMR Vaccine

which have now been withdrawn (see above).

Merieux UK Ltd (Measles Rubella Vaccine Live Pasteur) and /Kline

Beecham (Eolarix)

As far as we can tell the active constituents of these two vaccines are

exactly the same as those in their withdrawn MMR vaccines, except that the

mumps component has been removed.

Both brands of MR vaccines each contain 2 viruses - to provide protection

against Measles and Rubella.

 

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Safety and effectiveness of the vaccines.

Side effects: the official view.

Side effects: our investigations.

Conclusion.

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Safety and effectiveness of the vaccines.

Safety

We deal below with side effects, but we are disturbed at the lack of

evidence of long-term safety trials. At the risk of repetition we set out

again the extract from the publication referred to in our vaccines general

information factsheet:

" In the course of its review, the committee encountered many gaps and

limitations in knowledge bearing directly and indirectly on the safety of

vaccines. These include inadequate understanding of the biologic mechanisms

underlying adverse events following natural infection or immunisation,

insufficient or inconsistent information from case reports and case series,

inadequate size or length of follow-up of many population-based

epidemiologic studies, and limited capacity of existing surveillance systems

of vaccine injury to provide persuasive evidence of causation. The committee

found few experimental studies published in relation to the number of

epidemiological studies published. Clearly, if research capacity and

accomplishment in these areas are not improved, future reviews of vaccine

safety will be similarly handicapped. " (22)

22. From Adverse Events Associated with CHILDHOOD VACCINES Evidence Bearing

on Causality (ISBN 0-309-04895-8). National Academy Press Washington DC.

1994: p316.

So far, most of the safety trials which we have identified, have monitored

the children for just 3 weeks after the vaccine was administered; and the

longest we have so far been able to find is a monitoring period of six

weeks. It means that any adverse effect which occurred after the monitoring

period would not have been observed. The safety trials, in the main, have

been of the separate components of the vaccines. (i.e. Mumps, Measles and

Rubella). Trials of the combined vaccine appear to be even thinner on the

ground. this is admitted by the Committee on Safety of Medicines:

" Before measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine was introduced in this

country, we carried out a large scale study where adverse events were

monitored in the three week period following vaccination in approximately

12,000 children. " (23)

23. Extract from letter dated 9 January 1990 from Dr D M Salisbury at the

Committee on Safety of Medicines.

This is troubling because there are special considerations which should be

given when more than one live virus is admistered as a vaccine at the same

time. There is evidence that the measles virus (or vaccine) can cause

immunosuppression (24) which in tuen might allow opportunistic infection to

develop from one of the other viruses (such as rubella).

24. See Paediatric Infectious Disease Journal ® June 1993 Volume 12,

Number 6 Increased mortality after high titer measles vaccines: too much of

a good thing. By Halsey, Neal A.,

Other concerns have also been expressed:

" Modern vaccine programs seem to ignore the high potential for mutation of

viruses. It was established in 1986 that a mixture of non-virulent viruses

can produce a disease by means of complementation or recombination. A team

from the University of California (Los Angeles) innoculated mice with two

strains of non-virulent herpes simplex virus type 1. Most of those that

received a 1:1 mixture of viruses died. But the animals which received a 100

fold higher dose of one strain of virus survived. Virulent recombination had

been produced. As early as 1984, R de Long warned that mass immunisation

with several live viral vaccines might increase the probability of genetic

recombination and might result in new diseases. " (25)

25. Long term effects of early vaccinations. Dr Odent. Publication:

Primal Health Research Vol. 2 No 1. p 6 Date: Summer 1994. The two studies

he refers to are: R T, Sedarati F, J G, Two avirulent herpes

simplex viruses generate lethal recombinations in vivo. Science 7 November

1986 234: 746-47; De Long R, A possible cause of acquired immune deficiency

syndrome and other diseases. Medical hypothesis. 1984; 13: 395-97.

If anyone can help us to identify longer-lasting safety trials we would be

grateful to receive details.

We have asked the Committee on Safety of Medicines to supply us with details

of long term safety monitoring of vaccines and they have so far been unable

to supply them.

Effectiveness of the vaccines

When the vaccine was first introduced, one of the stipulated criteria was

that it should be long lasting in its effect (26). Yet children are now

being offered their second and even third dose of the vaccine. We have to

ask: is it doing its job?

" Before measles vaccination, immunity to measles was acquired by natural

infection or by passive protection of infants by maternal antibody

transferred in utero to the foetus....

" Revaccination of persons whose antibody levels have waned to low or

undetectable levels (from a previous vaccination) appears to offer only

transient benefit. In such persons, although antibodies boost after

revaccination, they subsequently fall to previous levels.

" In the United States, although greater than 50 percent of counties remained

free of measles for a decade or more, two main patterns of measles

transmission continued. First, outbreaks occurred among highly vaccinated

school-age populations in which measles transmission was documented among

children who had received a single dose of vaccine....

" The second pattern, observed in large epidemics in 88-91 was transmission

among unvaccinated ethnic and racial minority pre-school children,

particularly in the inner cities. Vaccination levels among school-age

children were high... " (27)

27. Successes and Failures in Measles Control. Felicity T Cutts and Lauri E

Markowitz (Communicable Disease Epidemiology Unit, London School of Hygiene

and Tropical Medicine and CDC Georgia) The Journal of Infectious Diseases

1994. Vol 170 supplement 1. S32-41.

See also the passage we quoted from The Theory and Practice of Public Health

which gave details of the protective effect of measles itself (28).

28. The Theory and Practice of Public Health page 236.

There is also another worry over the effectiveness of the vaccines. Normally

a mother who is immune to illnesses confers that immunity to her children

for the first six to twelve months of their lives by " maternal antibodies " ,

but there is evidence that this protection is reduced where a mother has

been vaccinated, as opposed to catchine the natural measles:

" The data presented here demonstrate that vaccination against measles in one

generation opens a window of opportunity for infection in infants of the

next generation. Infants become susceptible to measles as transferred

maternal antibody is catabolized. In this study population this phenomenon

occurs earlier in infants of vaccinated mothers than in infants of mothers

who had natural measles. Furthermore in a well-vaccinated society where

measles outbreaks are suppressed and boosting does not occur, even mothers

who had natural measles have less antibody to pass to their infants compared

with mothers in the past. Consequently the majority of infants will be

susceptible to measles many months before the recommended age for

vaccination. In other words good preventive and outbreak control measures

ultimately lead to a lower age limit of susceptibility. " (29)

29. Reduced measles immunity in infants in a well-vaccinated population.

Paediatric Infectious Disease Journal ® July 1992 Volume 11, Number 7 11:

525-9, 1992

 

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Side effects: the official view.

Side effects: our investigations.

Conclusion.

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Side effects: the official view.

There is a concept in medical cases called " informed consent " . In simple

terms, has a patient been given adequate information to be able to make an

informed decision about whether or not to have a particular type of

treatment? Because a child does not need to be vaccinated there may be a

duty to give very comprehensive information, so that parents can decide.

Even chances of several thousand to one against side effects may be

unacceptable, particularly as a child is put at risk of side effects as soon

as the vaccine is administered.

Yet little information is made available about the side effects of vaccines.

They are always played down, and in the booklets encouraging parents to have

their children vaccinated, they are hardly mentioned at all. In the booklet

given to families at the time of the Measles Rubella campaign in 1994 the

following is the entire information relating to safety of the vaccines:

" Will my child have any side effects after the injection

Side effects are uncommon. They are usually very mild and disappear quickly.

A few children may get a mild fever, a rash, sore or aching joints, or feel

a bit 'off-colour' a week or ten days after the jab. But this should only

last two or three days. Children with these symptoms cannot give anyone

measles or rubella. " (30)

30. From: MEASLES why every child in school needs to be protected from

measles this autumn. 1994 [Health Education Authority/Department of Health

Publication]

No other information giving details of side effects is contained in any part

of the booklet. By any standards this is grossly inadequate information for

concerned parents.

As can be seen, side effects do certainly exist:

" Reactions from the live [measles] vaccine are usually mild, although

convulsions and rare cases of encephalopathy (31) have occurred in

connection with vaccination campaigns, but with the improvement in vaccine

production reactions are becoming less common. The risk is certainly

acceptable in countries where measles is still a killing disease. " (32)

31. Any disease or disorder affecting the brain, including chronic

degenerative conditions.

32. from: The Theory and Practice of Public Health Edited W Hobson. 5th

Edition. Oxford University Press 1979. page 241.

We realise that this passage was written in 1979, but by then measles

vaccine had been widely used in this country for more than ten years. It is

rather odd, therefore, that the author is talking about an " acceptable risk "

in countries where measles is still a killer disease. The same argument can

be applied (justifiably) about vaccination against AIDS, where the risks

from the illness are very severe. But deaths from measles in country have

remained low since the 1950s.

The following is the list of side effects taken from the datasheet for one

of the brands of MMR vaccine (MMR(11)). It should be emphasised that this

too plays down the incidence of vaccine side effects, but it does give much

more information than is generally available to the public:

From MMR datasheet

" Because the vaccine is slightly acidic (pH 6.2-6.6), patients may complain

of burning and/or stinging at the injection site for a short time. " Adverse

reactions associated with MMR(11) are similar to those to be expected from

administration of monovalent vaccines given separately. These may include

malaise, sore throat, headache, fever and rash, nausea and vomiting; mild

local reactions such as erytheme, induration, tenderness and regional

lymphadenopathy; parotitis, orchitis, nerve deafness, thrombocytopenia and

purpura; allergic reactions such as wheal and flare at the injection site of

urticaria; polyneuritis; and arthralgia and/or arthritis (usually transient

and rarely chronic). Cough, coryza and pharyngitis have also occurred.

" Moderate fever (38.3'C/101'F) or high fever (above 39.4'C/103'F) may occur

following vaccination, predominantly between days 5 and 10. On rare

occasions, children developing fever may exhibit febrile convulsions. Rash

occurs infrequently and 'is usually minimal, but rarely may be generalised.

" Forms of optic neuritis, including retrobulbar neuritis, papilitis and

retinitis have infrequently been reported one to three weeks after

inoculation with some live virus vaccines.

" Very rarely, encephalitis and other CNS reactions have been associated with

measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines when given individually. These

reactions might be reported with MMR (11)

" Experience from more than 80 million doses of all live measles vaccines

given in the USA up to 1975 indicates that significant central nervous

system reactions such as encephalitis and encephalopathy, occurring within

30 days after vaccination, have been temporally associated with measles

vaccine approximately once for every million doses. In no cases has it been

shown that reactions were actually caused by vaccine (33). The risk of such

serious neurological disorders following live measles virus vaccine

administration remains far less than that for encephalitis and

encephalopathy caused by natural measles (one per two thousand reported

cases).

33. The American version of this datasheet add more here:

" The Center for Disease control has pointed out that 'a certain number of

cases of encephalitis may be expected to occur in a large childhood

population in a defined period of time even when no vaccines are

administered'. However the data suggests the possibility that some of these

cases may have been caused by measles vaccines

" There have been isolated cases of both the Guillain-Barre syndrome being

seen after vaccination and ocular palsies occurring 3-24 days after

vaccination with a live attenuated measles virus vaccine, but no definite

causal relationship between the vaccine and the disease syndromes has been

established. Isolated cases of polyneuropathy, including Guillain-Barre

syndrome, have also been reported after immunisation with rubella-containing

vaccines.

" There have been reports of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) in

children who did not have a history of natural measles but did receive

measles vaccine. Some of these cases may have resulted from unrecognised

measles in the first year of life or possibly from the measles vaccination.

Based on estimated nationwide measles vaccine distribution in the USA, the

association of SSPE cases to measles vaccination is about one case per

million vaccine doses distributed. This is far less than the association

with natural measles: 6-22 cases of SSPE per million cases of measles.

" A study suggests that the overal effect of measles vaccine has been to

protect against SSPE by preventing measles with its inherent higher risk of

SSPE.

" Local reactions characterised by marked swelling, redness and vesiculation

at the injection site of attenuated live virus measles vaccines, and

systemic reactions including atypical measles have occurred in vaccinees who

had previously received killed measles vaccine.

" Rarely, there have been reports of more severe reactions, including

prolonged high fevers and extensive local reactions requiring

hospitalisation. Panniculitis has also been reported rarely following

vaccination with measles vaccines.

" Arthralgia or arthritis, or both, are usually transient and rarely chronic

features of natural rubella. Like the polyneuritis that is also a feature of

natural infection, their frequency and severity vary with age and sex, being

greatest in adult females and least in prepubertal children. This type of

involvement as well as myalgia and paraesthesiae have also been reported

with the separate use of rubella vaccine.

" The chronic arthritis associated with natural rubella has been related to

virus and/or viral antigen found in body tissues. Only rarely have vaccinees

developed chronic joint symptoms.

" Following vaccination in children, reactions in joints are uncommon and

generally of brief duration. In women, incidence rates for arthritis and

arthralgia are generally higher than those seen in children (children: 0.3%;

women: 12-20%) and the reactions tend to be more marked and of longer

duration. Symptoms may persist for a matter of months or, on rare occasions,

for years. In adolescent girls, the reactions appear to be intermediate in

incidence between those seen in children and in adult women. Even in older

women (35-45 years) these reactions are generally well tolerated and rarely

interfere with normal activities. " (34)

34. Taken from 1990-91 Data Sheet Compendium.

In a letter to doctors (not released to the general public) the Government's

Chief Medical Officer gave details of the expected side effects of the

Measles Rubella Vaccination. (35) These are reproduced here:

35. Letter dated 27 September 1994 to Doctors and Nursing Officers from Dr

C Calman and from Miss Y s.

...........................ADVERSE EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH

...........................MEASLES MUMPS RUBELLA VACCINE

Adverse Event....Expected following...........Expected

following.........Reference

..................................First

dose*...........................Second dose**

Rash............................5%.......................................0.2

5%........................1

Fever >

38.5'C...........5-15%..........................0.25%-0.75%.................

....2

Arthralgia...................26%.....................................1.30%..

........................3

(adolescent or

adult females)

Arthralgia....................3%.....................................0.15%..

........................3

(children)

Arthritis......................11%....................................0.55%.

..........................4

(adolescent of

adult females)

Arthritis......................rare..................................very

rare........................2

(children)

Encephalitis+...1/1,000,000 doses........1/20,000,000

doses......................1

* Assuming all recipients are susceptible (non-immune)

** In unselected vaccine recipients, assuming a 5% vaccine failure rate

(i.e. 5% of recipients of the first dose did not respond and are susceptible

at the time of the second dose)

+ Assuming vaccine plays a role in causation. If not, the incidence for both

first and second doses is 0.

The following is another list of concerns. (36)

36. Table taken from Vaccines and their Future Role in the Public Health.

Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology July 1995 page 40 (see below)

Table 8.......SOME RECENT CONCERNS OVER VACCINE SAFETY

Vaccine.....................................Concern.........................

........Comment

Measles/rubella..Linked with Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS)..No evidence for

causal

.............................a rare neurological

condition............................link

MMR.......One strain of mumps (Urabe) linked to high...........Urabe strain

no longer

..........................risk of aseptic

meningitis....................................used. Raises questions

.............................................................................

..........................laboutlicensing and

.............................................................................

..........................surveillancesystems.

Measles................Finding that those immunised

against..............Evidence contentious.

.............................measles may have higher risk

of.......................Raises possibility of

.............................inflammatory bowel disease in later

life.............long-term risks from

.............................................................................

..............................immunisation.

In our view it is very wrong that so little information is given to parents

about the extent and severity of side effects of these vaccines.

Under reporting of side effects.

It is a requirement that side effects to vaccines and other pharmaceutical

products are reported to the Medicines Control Agency/Committee on Safety of

Medicines using the so-called " yellow card " system.

It is widely accepted that the adverse reactions to all pharmaceutical

products are seriously under reported, and that possibly only a tenth of all

reactions are ever reported.

" Reporting to CSM is inevitably incomplete: standardized criteria are not

used, and there is no clinical follow-up to determine the outcome of

reported reactions " (37)

37. Meningoencephalitis associated with MMR vaccine: H C Maguire et al.

Review Volume 1 Number 6. 24 May 1991. page R60

In Vaccines and their Future Role in Public Health. Parliamentary Office of

Science and Technology July 1955 further concern is expressed:

" Sometimes, concerns over the safety of vaccines have turned out to be

justified, as illustrated by recent experience with the Urabe strain of MMR

vaccine - one of a number of new strains of mumps virus developed in

response to increasing demand in the 1980s. All the strains were based on

the wild-type mumps virus, but differed slightly depending on the

attenuation process used. The Urabe strain was thought to be slightly more

efficient at stimulating immune responses, and was licensed for use in the

UK, Canada, France and a number of other countries. Meanwhile, the

longer-established Jeryl Lynn strain continued to be used in the USA and

Scandinavia and also to a limited extent in the UK.

" As the MMR campaigns gathered momentum in the late 1980s and early 1990s,

evidence began to accumulate that the Urable vaccine might be associated

with a higher risk of meningitis 2-5 weeks after vaccination, and suspicions

were raised by the finding that virus particles isolated from cerebrospinal

fluid of affected patients were from the Urabe strain. One country (Canada)

stopped using the Urabe strain as early as 1989. In the UK however,

alternative strains of mumps vaccine were not so readily available, and

several studies were set up to establish whether there were increased risks

involved. Studies bases on voluntary reports gave reassuringly low estimates

in the region of 1 case of meningitis per 143,000 to 250.000 doses of Urabe

vaccine (Table 9). But when greater efforts were made to identify cases -

for instance by cross-linking laboratory reports of hospital diagnoses to

vaccination records - the risk rose to between 1 case per 4,000 doses and 1

in 21,000. These findings suggested significant under-reporting of Urabe

vaccine-associated meningitis, and led to the withdrawal of the vaccine from

the market in 1992. All UK MMR vaccine now contains the Jeryl Lynn mumps

strain... (See table below)

" What lessons can be learnt from the failure of the yellow card surveillance

system to detect the scale of the problem? This system is inevitably prone

to a certain degree of under-reporting because it relies on doctors to make

the connection between a particular set of symptoms and recent immunisation,

and report it to the CSM as an adverse event. However, the Urabe experience

shows that making a connection can be very difficult when there is an

extended (2-5 week) delay between vaccination and the onset of symptoms.

Attention has thus been turned to finding alternative methods of monitoring

for adverse reactions. (39)

39. Table and text taken from: Vaccines and their Future Role in Public

Health. Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology July 1995 pages

40-41. This publication seems to contradict itself because elsewhere it

appears to accept the evidence of the yellow card system when contending

that concerns over vaccine safety are unfounded (page 39)

Table 9.......RISK OF MENINGITIS 2-5 WEEKS AFTER VACCINATION WITH URABE

..................MUMPS VACCINE.

Type of

Study...................................................................Risk

estimate (cases of meningitis

.............................................................................

............per doses of vaccine)

Voluntary reports by paediatricians.....................................1 in

250,000

Notifications of meningitis by doctors..................................1 in

143,000

Checking vaccine records of hospital cases.........................1 in

21,000

Cross-linking vaccine records with lab reports (4 labs)...........1 in

11,000

Cross-linking vaccine records with lab reports (1 lab).............1 in

4,000

A paper in the Lancet records the failure of passive surveillance to detect

an unacceptably high risk of aseptic meningitis with measles/mumps/rubella

vaccines that contained the Urable mumps strain. (40)

40. A new method for active surveillance of adverse events from

diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis and measles/mumps/rubella vaccines by Paddy

Farrington et al. (Public Health Laboratory Service) Lancet March 4 1995 Vol

345, pages 567-569 (Referred to below)

Our own clients' experience has been that doctors have declined to report

vaccine reactions, even when they have occurred within a very short time of

the vaccine being administered. This is a incorrect approach. The guidance

given to doctors is this:

" Doctors are asked to report all suspected reactions to both new and

established vaccines. The balance between risks and benefits needs to be

kept under continuous review. " (41)

41. Taken from: British National Formulary - all issues.

Our own direct experience is that there has been substantial under-reporting

of the side effects following the MR (Measles rubella) schools campaign.

The Department of Health reported 80 children had suffered adverse reactions

(42), but JABs (43) has 122 cases on its database, and we have 140 on ours.

There is some overlap, but our guess is that the incidence of side effects

know to us and JABs totals at least 150, and almost certainly these will not

include all the cases reported to the Department of Health. It can therefore

be safely said that the true incidence of side effects is double the DoH

figures and quite possibly substantially more than that.

42. Report in The Times of 21 December 1994 page 5

43. Justice Awareness Basic Support; a support group to help families with

.............vaccine damaged children. Address given in our Vaccines General

.............Factsheet.

Ironically there can also be over reporting of the incidence of measles

(which can distort the picture just as much):

" In a study of measles notifications in 18 districts during 1991-3 Brown et

al. show that surveillance based on clinically diagnosed cases is now

inaccurate and that detection of lgM in saliva could provide an effective

alternative to using serum samples for laboratory confirmation.

" Our findings have implications for vaccination policy. For example, the

recent increase in the proportion of notified cases in children under a year

old may be spurious as infection was confirmed in only 11% of cases in this

group. (44)

from: BMJ Vol 308 16 April 1994. pages 1015-1017 (and " This week in BMJ " )

 

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Side effects: our investigations.

Conclusion.

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Side effects: our investigations.

What you have told us.

Clients (and those who have contacted us) have reported to us a number of

problems with the vaccine. To date we are aware of more than 600 instances

of side effects following MMR and MR vaccines. The figures in [square

brackets] give the numbers reported in respect of side effects so far (as at

May 1997). Note that some children will have more tthan adverse reaction.

The side effects include:

Autism [287]

Crohn's disease and other serious chronic stomach problems [136]

Epilepsy [132]

Other forms of brain damage (including meningitis, cerebral palsy,

encephalopathy, encephalitis etc.) [77]

Hearing and vision problems [81]

Arthritis and Arthralgia (including crippling juvenile rheumatoid arthritis)

[50]

Behavioural and learning problems (in older children) [110]

Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and chronic fatigue [41]

Diabetes [15]

Guillain-Barré syndrome [9]

Idiopathic thrombocytopaenic purpura (and other purpura) [6]

Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE) [3]

Wegener's Granulamatosis[2]

Leukaemia [1]

Multiple Sclerosis [1]

Death [18]

Note: Some of these figures overlap because some children have more than one

symptom.

What we have found

There is ample confirmation in the medical literature of complications

caused by vaccines.

Curiously, whilst mild reactions are admitted in the datasheets, and in the

government leaflets, serious adverse events are always dismissed as having

nothing to do with the vaccines.

If on the other hand a child develops a serious condition after contracting

the natural diseases, there is no doubt in anyone's mind that the disease

caused the condition.

It is therefore revealing to look in the medical literature which does

reveal concerns about serious (as well as mild) reactions. Here is a

selection of what we have found. There is plenty more evidence. We now have

copies or summaries of thousands of articles and reports on vaccine

reactions.

Arthritis:

The following are extracted from pages on the subject.

" The main major complication of rubella vaccination is arthralgia and

arthritis... Occasionally articular effects may become both prolonged and

recurrent.... since joint symptoms occur at the same time as productions of

antibodies to virus, then they could be immune complex radiated and the

association with circulating immune complex as demonstrated would tend to

support this. Of course it is also possible that local replication of the

virus in joint tissues could be responsible for joint symptoms... "

" There hae been a number of reports of complications seen in combined

vaccines including a rubella component. " (45)

45. Complications of Rubella vaccination. From: " Rubella in Pregnancy " by

Nick Sidle MB BS BSc. pages 63-65.

" Nevertheless, immunisation with measles, mumps and rubella vaccine carries

a risk of first ever episodes of joint symptoms, particularly in children

under 5 years and in girls. The most severe cases of arthritis were

interestingly seen in older boys. " (46)

46. Joint and limb symptoms in children after immunisation with measles

mumps and rubella vaccine. C M et al. BMJ April 25 1992 Vol No

6834. pages 1075-1078.

" Rubella immunisation or infection is an uncommonly recognized cause of

acute, recurrent, or persistent musculoskeletal manifestations. After

routine rubella immunisation, two women presented with the onset of

polyarthralgia, arthritis, maculopapular rash, fever, paresthesia, and

malaise with persistent of recurrent manifestations lasting longer than 24

months after vaccination. The patients expressed rubella virus RNA in

peripheral-blood leukocytes 10 and 8 months after vaccination, respectively,

in contrast to repeated negative results in asymptomatic rubella-immunised

controls. One patient developed significantly depressed antibody responses

to rubella virus after vaccination and experienced a prolonged clinical

improvement after a 3-month course of intravenous immune globulin. The

second patient had normal antibody responses to rubella virus and underwent

no clinical improvement during or after intravenous immune globulin therapy.

Rubella immunisation or infection should be considered as additional

causative factors in evaluation of acute and continuing musculoskeletal

syndromes. " (47)

47. Chronic rubella vaccine-associated arthropathy. -LA; Tingle AJ;

Shukin R; Sangeorzan J; McCune J; Braun DK. ARCH-INTERN-MED. 153/19

(2268-2274) 1993

Convulsions:

In the paper (referred to above) published in the Lancet, the authors

revealed that their studies showed that there was an attributable risk of

febrile convulsion of one in 2600 doses attributable to the MMR vaccine

15-35 days after being vaccinated. The same paper recorded that even with

the MMR2 vaccine there was still a risk of aseptic meningitis of one in

16000 being attributed to the vaccine. (48)

48. A new method for active surveillance of adverse events from

diphtheria/pertussis and measles/mumps/rubella vaccines by Paddy Farrington

et al. (Public Health Laboratory Service) Lancet March 4 1995, Vol 345.

Pages 567-569.

Diabetes

A disorder caused by insufficient or absent production of the hormone

insulin by the pancreas. (49)

49. From: the Complete Health Guide.

It has recently been reported that diabetes is increasing at a rate of more

than 10% a year among children under 5, and the the increase has been

noticed over the past 10 years. This of course corresponds with the date of

introduction of MMR vaccines. (50)

50. Report in the Sunday Times, 19 January 1997

Published papers have suggested a possible link with the vaccine. One paper,

published in Finland, has suggested:

" Further studies are required to determine if the vaccine virus, like

natural mumps, could trigger the clinical onset of Type 1 diabetes in young

children " (51)

51. Decline of mumps antibodies in type 1 (insulin dependant) diabetic

children and a plateau in the rising incidence of type 1 diabetes after

introduction of MMR vaccine in Finland. Author(s): Article: H Hyoti et al.

Publication: (Diabetologia Vol. 36 No 12: pp.1303-1308) Date: 1993

" Induction of Type 1 diabetes mellitus: A total of 20 cases had been

reported. The earliest case occurred 3 days after the receipt of vaccine and

the latest 7 months after immunisation. Twelve cases were diagnosed within

30 days of immunisation. The authors considered the cases of diabetes

mellitus to have a temporal relationship to mumps immunisation. For every 5

million children immunised against mumps 50 spontaneous cases of diabetes

mellitus are to be expected by mere coincidence within a period of 30 days

after immunisation. In fact, only 12 cases were reported within 30 days

after immunisation. " (52)

52. Title: The Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS): A single

post-marketing surveillance system for vaccines in the United States. Poster

presented at: 7th International Conference on Pharmocoepidemiology, Basel,

Switzerland, August 26-29, 1991. Author: Mullen JR; Chen RT; Swint E;

SW; Rastogi S; Knapp G; Publication Year: 1991; Source: Annual 16, page 389.

In Adverse Events Associated with Childhood Vaccines the link between the

mumps element of the vaccine and diabetes is considered in detail.

Inevitably the book record that there have been no clinical trials, and it

concludes that the evidence is inadequate to accept or reject a causal

relation between measles or mumps vaccine and diabetes. (53)

53. Adverse Events Associated with CHILDHOOD VACCINES Evidence bearing on

causality (ISBN 0-309-04895-8). National Academy Press Washington DC, 1994:

pp 153-159.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (including Crohn's Disease)

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease which can effect any part

of the digestive tract causing mouth ulcers, stomach pains, episodes of

diarrhoea vomiting. Surprisingly it can be accompanied by joint pains and

swelling, and conjunctivitis of the eyes. It can take many years to develop,

but with children the first symptom is often malabsorption and failure to

thrive.

These is convincing evidence of a connection between the vaccination and

inflammatory bowel disease (including Crohn's disease). (54)

See: Is measles vaccination a risk factor for inflammatory bowel disease? N

P et al. The Lancet Vol: 345 pp 1071-1074, Date: April 29 1995.

It is a serious lifelong illness which has affected a large number of the

children we are helping. We are working with Dr Wakefield of the

Royal Free Hospital London. He is investigating this condition.

There is a disturbing increase in childhood Crohn's disease, which seems to

coincide precisely with the introduction of the measles vaccines.

Autism (or autistic features)

A condition which manifests itself in severe difficulties in communicating

and forming relationships with other people, in using languages and abstract

concepts. It is characterised by repetitive and obsessive patterns of

behaviour. Parents also report that their children lose co-ordination or

motor skills as well. Its cause is not understood, but it has been

associated with brain damage.

" Autism is one of the developmental disorders of brain function; as in the

others, there are several causes. In most cases the cause is

unknown....There may be an inherited susceptibility to some environmentally

determined stress. In a few cases, there is evidence of tuberous sclerosis,

hypomelanosia of Ito, fragile X, phenylketonuria, congenital rubella,

neonatal herpes simplex, hydrocephalus, malformation, or other static

encephalopathy " (55)

55. Merritt's textbook of Neurology 9th edition 1995

The word " autism " in relation to its present meaning did not enter the

language until about the same time as widescale vaccinations were

introduced. (56) About 350 new cases are reported each year. (57)

56. Leo Kanner 1943

57. Source: Children with Autism by Colwyn Trevarthen and others. Publishers

Kingsley (1996) page 1.

A substantial number of parents have reported that their children have

become autistic (or developed autistic symptoms) (58) following

administration of the vaccine (notably the MMR as opposed to the MR-

vaccine) (59) Autism is far and away the most common side effect notified to

us. More than a two fifths of all side effects associated with MMR involve

autism.

58. The condition has been described as atypical autism or a disintegrative

disorder. It has features of autism but normally the signs of autism

manifest themselves at a much earlier age - or at least can be recognised

retrospectively once a diagnosis has been made. For the sake of simplicity

we shall refer to the condition as autism in this factsheet even through

strictly speaking it may not be exactly the same condition as has come to be

given that name.

59. If the vaccine is a factor, the reason is probably that the MMR vaccine

is given at an earlier age (while the brain is still in the process of

myelination), but behaviour problems have been reported among older children

given the MMR vaccine.

It is important to emphasise that autism (or atypical autism) is the

manifestation of a condition. It is not an illness in itself. The

descriptions we have received are remarkably consistent. This is what one

mother has written to us:

(60) has gone from being a happy fun-loving sociable child to a quiet

introverted and aggressive child. I have a little person who is locked up

within himself. And that person within holds the only key to comprehending

what makes the world revolve. Our world is one of confusion to and

outside the home environment every place, person and activity sparks off

anxiety.

60. Not his real name, but these are the actual words written by a mother to

us.

Many children with autism are extremely behaviourally deviant even during

this first year of life. They may engage in stereotyped hand movements and

be completely passive, not interested in exploring their environment, indeed

showing no initiative whatsoever, and perhaps already fiercely protesting

when demands are made or routines changed. A few reject body contact. Many

prefer to be left alont " (61)

61. The biology of Autistic Syndromes: Gillberg and

; Mac Press; 2nd Edition (ISBN) (uk) 0 901260 92 4) page: 57.

The same point is echoed in a fact sheet from the National Autistic Society:

" In almost all children with autistic spectrum disorders, the triad of

impairments emerges in the first 2-3 years of life. Some seem to be

developing normally in the first year or two (in rare cases even longer than

this) before the unusual behaviour begins. But in many, perhaps most, there

are indications of developmental problems within the first year of life.

Many parents recall these early indications when interviewed, though they

may not have known their significance. " (62)

62. From Autistic Spectrum Disorders an aid to diagnosis by Lorna Wing MD

FRCPsych. 1995. p7. Available from the National Autistic Society

The picture which is emerging is that the children who have become

" autistic " after being vaccinated were doing everything they should before

being vaccinated, and were showing none of the signs mentioned in the above

extract.

Is Autism on the increase

Anecdotal evidence suggests that there has been a huge rise in cases of

childhood autism throughout the country. Using the rates of autism quoted

above (63) there should currently be only about 5600 cases of autism among

children up to school leaving age, (64) but we have heard that one county

alone has 10,000 cases. One paediatrician exasperatedly asked a client of

ours (the mother of an autistic child): " Where are all these cases coming

from? "

63. Children with Autism by Colwyn Trevarthen and others. Publisher

Kingsley (1996)

64. i.e. 350 per year x 16 years = 5600

We have a copy of an extract of minutes of an extraordinary meeting of an

education authority which express extreme concern over the increased numbers

of autism cases, and the difficulty in coping with them.

A small branch of the Norfolk Autistic Society is reported as having been

told to expect only three or four sufferers in their area, but there are

already 46 " and the numbers are growing daily. " (65)

65. Eastern Daily Press 5 November 1996 page 25.

The Sussex Autistic Society has told us that there appears to be a higher

incidence of children on the autistic spectrum being diagnosed. (66)

66. Letter dated 24 March 1997

An American paediatrician, Dr J Goldberg writing on the Internet

states:

While training as a pediatrician, I was told if I saw one autistc chilld in

a lifetime of practice it would be one too many. What I am seeing today is

not the autism I learned about in medical school twenty years ago. What was

once a relatively rare disorder is now twenty times more likely to occur.

Before, " autism " was 1-2 per 10,000 births. Now, current statistics suggest

a frequency of 20 per 10,000 births (rates of 40 per 10,000 or higher have

been suggested). (67)

67. " Autistic Syndrome " A Medical Problem, Dr J Goldberg, Tarzana,

California.

Figures published by the National Autistic Society suggest a huge increase

in the incidence of autism:

" The grand total for the whole autistic spectrum is 518,000, an estimated

prevalence of 91 people in very 10,000. These new figures reflect the

widening definition of the autistic spectrum. They cannot be taken as

evidence for an increase in incidence of these disorders. The question of

whether the numbers are rising can be answered only by a large-scale,

detailed (and expensive) long term study " (68)

Newsletter from the National Autistic Society published in May 1997: page 3

Even though the National Autistic Society seems to ascribe the increase to

better diagnosis, we are far from convinced. In any event a figure of nearly

one percent of the population with some form of autism is very disturbing.

Medical and other carers who have spoken to us appear to be puzzled by this,

and are apparently seeking the cause.

All our cases occur after October 1988 (the date when MMR was introduced).

The first autistic side effect we know about occurred in January 1989.

We have details of a smaller number of cases involving the measles (only)

vaccine. Our sample is admittedly too small to be statistically significant

(10 to date) but it seems curious that there are no autism cases among them,

if the measled element of the vaccine alone is implicated.

If the link with autism is purely a chance one, then we would have expected

there to have been chance connections with other conditions made by parents

whose children were vaccinated at around a year of age. We would also have

expected parents to blame other vaccines, but they have not (apart from a

small number of cases arising from whooping cough vaccines.)

In some cases, the onset of autistic features takes months to show, but in

others it is only a matter of days before the child develops changes in

behavioural patterns.

The problem is that the diagnosis of autism is not something which happens

instantly, as it would be if it were a case of - say - meningitis. It is

usually a conclusion reached after prolonged investigation.

Nonetheless, if there really is a substantial increase, it is unlikely that

this phenomenon could be explained away (as has been suggested by improved

diagnosis of autism, or by a willingness on the part of professionals to

diagnose an autistic spectrum disorder.

We have used the umbrella heading of " autism " but there are also children

who, whilst not coming within the definition of autistic, have developed

behavioural and/or learning problems after being given the vaccine.

Disturbing reports in the press indicate that in this country and in the USA

up to one in twenty school children have some form of educational special

need. We would not for a moment suggest (as some have done)(69) that this

situation is caused by vaccines but nonetheless if a vaccine can cause low

level or diffuse brain damage then it must follow that in some instances

behavioural problems or learning difficulties are associated with it.

69. See for instance Vaccines and Social Violence and Criminality by

Coulter.

If the MMR vaccine is directly linked with autism then there is potentially

a very serious problem. We are surprised that (perhaps because there appears

to have been no adequate long-term follow up) so little of the current

medical literature (apart from that mentioned below) makes the connection

with the vaccine.

We have seen a memo from Dr of the Public Health Laboratory

Service (PHLS) dated 2 October 1996 (70) which is dismissive of a link

between autism and the vaccine. The memorandum reviews the " evidence " , but

with respect to Dr this evidence is negative: that there are no

published studies which show a link with the vaccine. What does not appear

to have been carried out is any investigation into whether the vaccine

(particularly in its triple form: MMR) does or might cause autism.

70. Memo dated 2 October 1996 to all duty doctors CDSC Re alleged

association between MMR vaccine and autism. We have a copy on file.

The matter is worse than that. Dr. cites a study in Göteburg as being

in complete support of her view that Autism is not on the increase:

" However, good data on the incidence of autism is available from one study

of autism conducted in Göteburg, Sweden. No change which could be explained

by the introduction of MMR vaccine was found. "

Sir Calman the Chief Medical Officer, in his memo of 7 February 1997

says:

" However there is no evidence to suggest a causal link (with MMR) and good

evidence against it. For example the annual incidence of autism was constant

over a decade in Sweden, when MMR was introduced at the mid-point. "

The study they are referring to is: " Is autism more common now than ten

years ago? " (71)

71. " Is autism more common now than ten years ago? " Gilberg C et al. Br J

Psych 1991; 158; 403-409.

Putting it charitably, these public officials have made serious errors in

the interpretation of the data as we hope the following overview will show:

1 Nowhere does the paper discuss or even mention vaccination.

2 The paper does not therefore state the coverage of MMR when it was

introduced; or whether it was an " operational safeguard " type of exercise;

or whether it was merely introduced into a childhood immunisation schedule.

There is no information about uptake or demographic variations: Without such

information the paper is entirely irrelevant to the subject of MMR damage.

3. The paper refers to three studies (not one), and all three are

retrospective studies.

4. The criteria for inclusion in the studies are all different:

Study 1

Screening date 1978 and 1980

Area covered: industrial area of Göteburg only

Age group covered: Not stated, but presumably those born 1975-1980.

Selection criteria: all forms of autism

Study 2

Screening data: 1984

Area covered: The urban area of Göteburg and the rural area of the adjacent

county of Bohuslän

Age group covered: All children born 1975-1984

Selection criteria: all forms of autism

Study 3

Screening date: 1988

Area covered: The urban area of Göteburg and the rural area of the adjacent

county of Bohuslän

Age group covered: Children born 1975-84 who had not been detected by

screening 3 years earlier, but excluding children in the age range 0-3

Selection criteria: Autism and autistic disorders but excluding Aspergers

syndrome.

5. The paper obviously does not set out to trace the incidence of autism

over three discrete time periods. The last study sets out to include all

those missed in the previous study. Therefore, although the paper does give

some comparisons, it is essentially the study of one group: children born

between 1975 and 1988.

6. It is not even true to say that the paper found no evidence for an

increase in the prevalence of autistic disorders. The paper acknowledges

that the rate of autism in the area has increased. It seeks to explain the

phenomenon by reference to immigrant families (including those from

adjoining countries - who may or may not have been vaccinated) and better

diagnosis, but the study also excludes Aspergers syndrome (a condition

suffered by many children after being given the MMR vaccine) and states that

is Aspergers were included, the prevalence of autism would be many times

higher. The concluding sentence of the paper reads:

" Nevertheless the results of an autism rate about double that previously

reported is in good accord with at least one recent study in the field. "

7 It is also wrong to state that the MMR vaccine in Sweden was introduced in

the mid point of the study. MMR was introduced in Sweden in 1982, but the

study excludes children under 4 (even though the paper acknowledges that " a

number of very young cases was reported " (Page 405)). It means that,

depending on the month in 1982 when MMR was introduced a maximum of 2 years

of MMR vaccinated children could have been excluded, and it could have been

much less than that. It is more accurate therefore to say that the vaccine

was introduced 7/9ths the way through the study - rather a difference!

Bearing in mind that the article acknowledges the difficulties in diagnosing

autism in young children, it is highly unlikely that any effect of MMR

vaccine would have been reflected in the studies, even if the authors were

looking for it (which they were not).

8 In any event the study is very small. A total population of 78,106

children was involved. The technique used was to try to track down autistic

children by making enquiries of those who might have been treating them, not

to survey each one of those children.

9 Our experience is that the children most vulnerable to developing autism

after MMR are under 2 at date of vaccination. Older children (e.g. those who

were given the MR vaccination in 1994) are not apparently affected in that

way. Assuming an even annual birth rate and that the vaccination was carried

out under 2 years of age, only about 17,356 [78106 divided by 9 = 8678

(yearly birth rate) x 2)] children could possibly have had the MMR vaccine.

The normal statistical rules of probability are that if a particular event

is likely to occur once in every (n) children you would need a cohort of at

least 3(n) children to expect even one occurrence. As the maximum number of

children in this study given the MMR was 17,356, then to yield just one case

that would have to be an incidence of MMR-related autism for every 5785

children vaccinated (i.e. 17,356 divided by 3). Unless it is suggested that

the incidence of MMR-related autism is one in 5700, the Göteburg study could

never have shown an increased incidence of autism.

We make no apology for having dealt at such length with that study. If

public officials are going to use the medical literature to support their

contentions they should do so accurately and honestly.

Bearing in mind the apparent dearth of studies on the vaccines and the

autism link, the authorities are just not in a position to say one way or

another.

A paper was published in the British Medical journal in February 1996 (72)

(and is cited by Dr in support of her arguments), but this

acknowledges that only two published studies have attempted to examine the

prevalence of autism. The first study was published in 1979. The second

study was published in 1993 but it concerned children born between 1975-83

in Sweden. No studies appear to have been carried out in relation to the MMR

vaccine (which was introduced in 1988) and no information which has come

into existence since 1993 appears to have been considered.

72 Autistic spectrum disorders No evidence for or against an increase in

prevalence. Wing L. BMJ 10 February 1996 Vol 312 pp 327-328

Dr 's concluding point is this:

" The diagnosis of autism is generally made in the second year of life when

MMR vaccine is given. Temporal associations between diagnosis and prior MMR

vaccination are therefore to be expected by chance "

It may be that a diagnosis of autism is not made until the second year of

life, but with children who were autistic from birth the signs were probably

there from an early state:

" Wing (1989) has suggested that 'infantile autism' is congenital in

approximately 80 per cent of cases. In the remaining 20 per cent there is

either too scanty evidence from the medical history, or there are definite

clues that the typical symptoms began sometime between 6 and 20 months. "

(73)

73 The Biology of Autistic Syndromes; Gillberg and ;

Mac Press; 2nd Edition (ISBN (UK) 0 901260 92 4) Page: 22

Important:

It may be possible in many cases to prove whether or not children were

developing normally if videos of their early life are studied by

psychiatrists expert in child development. If you believe you child has

become autistic as a result of vaccination, be sure to preserve any videos

you have of his/her early life.

The descriptions we are receiving from parents (who know their children

better than anyone) are of children who develloped perfectly normally until

they were vaccinated with MMR, and only then did they regress.

Instead of simply dismissing the link between the vaccine and autism as

coincidence we take the view that the PHLS has a duty to investigate the

possibility that the two occur together because the vaccine might be a

factor in the development of autism. We say so particularly because we have

not yet had information about cases where the late onset autism preceded the

vaccine: virtually all cases we have investigated in depth so far show that

the affected child was developing perfectly normally until the vaccine was

administered, with absolutely nothing to give cause for concern before the

vaccination.

Nonetheless, we acknowledge that we have to proceed very carefully. There

are many insults to the human body as a result of life in the last decade of

the twentieth century. Pesticides, agricultural chemicals, antibiotics,

preservatives, pollution or junk food may be responsible for the changing

pattern of this serious and distressing childhood condition. We certainly do

not wish to cause alarm if it is clear that vaccines are in no way connected

with autism. Yet a growing number of parents do believe that to be a link

between the vaccines and autism, and have evidence to show that their

children were entirely normal before the vaccination; and the the

disintegration in their condition ties in closely with the date of the

vaccination. This applies not only to children who were vaccinated at around

15 months, but also to children who were older (up to about 4 years old)

when they were vaccinated.

Biological Mechanisms of the link between the vaccine and autism

Damage to children does not just happen. There is always cause, though

sometimes doctors are unable to find it.

" It is difficult to grasp the plausibility of the biological theory when

faced with the apparent contradiction that in many children there may be no

apparent medical condition that has caused the autism, and no mental

handicap of epilepsy. However when groups of children with autism are

studied, various medical conditions are found in association with autism

more often that one would expect. The implication then is that in all cases

some biological cause is likely to lie behind the autism, although currently

this is only identifiable in a minority of cases. " (74)

74 From AUTISM THE FACTS by Dr Simon Baron-Cohen and Dr Bolton,

Oxford Medical Publications 1993: p. 27.

Indeed with autism the medical experts freely acknowledge that they do not

know what causes it. The textbooks also indicate that late onset autism is

unusual even within the complexity of the various autistic syndromes.:

" Cases with documented set-back after a period of normal development are

rare, but their relative frequency within the whole group is not known. "

(75)

75 The Biology of Autistic Syndromes; Gillberg and ;

Mac Press; 2nd Edition (ISBN (UK) 0 901260 92 4) Page:22

....And that of course in the problem. As far as we can tell (and this book

confirms) there have been very few studies at all into late onset autism.

We have therefore been considering how the vaccine can be linked with

autism. Our investigations indicate that there are biological mechanisms by

which the components of the MMR vaccine can cause encephalopathy which leads

to autism.

It may be caused by immune complexes (molecules of antigens and antibodies

linked together) blocking small blood vessels in the brain (76). See, for

instance, this extract from the Practitioner of October 1967.

Both the brain and intestine are both richly supplied with blood through a

network of very small blood vessels.

" Classical immuno-chemistry is based on the property many antibodies have of

forming insoluble precipitates with homologous antigens. If a large excess

of antigen is added to such a precipitate the mixture becomes soluble. These

soluble antigen-antibody (immune) complexes have important biological

effects. When injected into animals they can produce necrotizing vascular

lesions and severe damage to glomeruli. Immune complexes of this nature can

also be formed in vivo by simple immunisation procedures; if the animal does

not produce too much antibody and the dose of antigen is correct, soluble

immune complexes are elaborated and serum sickness results. The nature of

the antigen and antibody may be entirely unrelated to the affected organ:

for example, complexes comprised of bovine albumin and anti-bovine albumin

can be highly nephrotoxic. Apparently, some physico-chemical property of the

immune complex is responsible, at least in part, for the tissue damage. This

can be demonstrated quite dramatically by an intradermal injection of

soluble immune complexes. Within a few hours, a haemorrhagic, recrotic skin

lesion (the Arthus reaction) appears.

" Two factors in addition to the immune complex are important in the

evolution of this lesion: polymorphonuclear leucocytes and complement. The

complexes have powerful chemotactic effects, and, soon after their

deposition, attract numerous granulocytes. These cells contribute to the

lesion by releasing numerous lytic enzymes from their lysosomal granules.

Complement is also drawn to the scene and since it, too, has enzymatic

activity, further damage results. This mechanism is extremely important in

the production of various forms of glomerulonephritis and vasculitis. The

streptococcus may be the antigen in some cases of post-scarlatinal nephritis

in man. In systemic lupus erythematosus there is important new evidence that

a complex comprised of the antinuclear antibodies characteristic of that

disease and DNA can provoke nephritis. There are now ample reasons for

believing that any antigen-whether exogenous or endogenous - capable of

eliciting the formation of a precipitating antibody, and hence a soluble

immune complex, can form a soluble immune complex, can form a soluble immune

complex, can for the basis of serious immune injury. Bacteria, viruses,

chemicals, and drugs are certainly candidates in this important group of

diseases. " (77)

77. Advances in Clinical Immunology by Schwartz Practitioner October

1967 pp. 514-

Another Possibility

Another mechanism (which may be present at the same time) is the formation

of antibodies to myelin basic protein.

Myelin basic protein acts like an insulating sheath around the nerve (not

unlike the insulation around an electrical cable). Without this insulation,

complex neuronal networks cannot be developed (and those that are developed

will not work correctly).

The process starts soon after birth and continues until ten years of age,

but most of the myelin is laid down between the ages of 0 and 5 years.

Below is a diagram showing the structure of a neurone (a single nerve cell).

The distinguished neurologist Dr M Poser has drawn the link between

the vaccines and demyelination.

Almost any... vaccine can lead to a non infectious inflammatory reaction

involving the nervous system... The commone denominator consists of a

vasculopathy that is often... associated with demyelination. (78)

78 Poser C M. Neurological syndromes that arise predictably. Consultant.

January 1987 pp 45-46

Myelin basic protein is also found in the chick embryos in which the vaccine

is cultured.

An inflammatory reaction or the production of antibodies against traces of

myelin in the vaccine (79) can set up an autoimmune response against the

body's own myelin. The effect of this would be a regression in development:

79 The manufacturers acknowledge the importance of removing the culture

medium from the vaccine, and claim that modern MMR vaccine is not

contaminated by any trace of the chick embryo (that includes yolk sac and

egg albumen). However if this is the case, why would a hypersensitivity to

egg be a contra-indication to all brands of the MMR and MR vaccines?

" At present, a cause or effect relationship between antibodies to myelin

basic protein and autism cannot be defined very well... We hypothesise that

the development of humoral immune response to myelin basic protein should be

regarded as the proponent of immunopathogenisis in a subset of autism.

" ....if an immunological assault perhaps secondary to a virus infection were

to occur prenatally or postnatally during infancy or early childhood, it

could possibly result in poor myelination or abnormal function of the

neuron-axon myelin. The latter may be a critical factor in the development

of neurobehavioural problems in some cases of the syndrome and should be

worthy of future research for the understanding of a pathological basis of

autism. (80)

80 Antibodies to Myelin Basic Protein in Children with Autistic Behaviour.

V.K. Singh, P Warren, J Dennis Odell, W Louise Warren and Phyllis Cole:

Brain, Behaviour and Immunity Volume 7 pp 97-103 (1993)

Similar views are expressed in a fact sheet on acute disseminated

encephalomyelitis produced by the Encephalitis Support Group:

" The association of the disease with an antecedent infection or immunisation

suggests an immunological process and detailed laboratory studies involving

measurement of anti-brain antibodies and of cellular immune responses to

specific myelin antigens have shown that these patients indeed have mounted

an allergic response against their own brain constituents. " (81)

81 Fact sheet 2: " Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis " ; Encephalitis

Support Group; Paper written by Professor O Behan, Professor of

Neurology, Glasgow University.

A study of autistic patients made by an immunologist in the USA, Dr. H H

Fudenberg included these findings:

" Fifteen of the TA (true autism) patients developed symptoms within a week

after immunisation with the measles, rubella and mumps vaccine (MMR): 3 had

high fevers (up to 106o ) and convulsions within one day of administration;

in the other 7 TA the symptoms gradually worsened in severity (e.g. gradual

rather than sudden loss of vocabulary) with onset of clinical abnormality

beginning between 15 and 18 months of age. "

" Antibodies to myelin basic protein were present in 20/22 TA and in 4/18 PAS

(Pseudo autistic syndrome) patients. " (82)

82 Dialysable lymphocyte extract (DLyE) in infantile onset autism: A pilot

study. By Dr. H H Fundenberg. Biotherapy 9 (1996): page 144.

The second extract in our view is extremely significant, because it provides

a strong indication that the mechanism put forward in this part of the

factsheet could well provide an explanation for the link between the MMR

vaccine and autism. Another researcher in the field has reached a similar

conclusion:

In conclusion the in vivo activation of IL-12 [interleukin-12] and IFN-y

[interferon-gamma] in patients provides an important clue to the mechanism

of autoimmunity, a pathogenic factor for autism. Based on a regulatory

feedback between IL-12 and IFN-y (a cytokine of Th-1 cells) it is suggested

that antigenic stimulation of TH-1 cells may be involved in autoimmune

pathogenesis of autism. In this respect, brain-derived myelin basic protein

(MBP) may serve as a candidate autoantigen since it induces

macrophage-inhibition factor (Weizman et al. 1982), autoantibodies (Singh et

al. 1993) in many autistic children. This however is one possibility while

others remain to be investigated. " (83)

83 Plasma increase of interleukin-12 and interferon-gamma: Pathological

significance in autism. Vinjendra K. Singh; Journal of Neuroimmunology 2915

[1996].

We have also found this observation from Dr Sudhir Gupta:

" One of the striking features in all autistic patients that we have studied

is a strong association between immunisation with MMR and the development of

autism (regressive autism) " (84)

84 Immunology and Immunological Treatment of Autism. Conference paper

delivered by Dr Sudhir Gupta MD PhD, Department of Medicine, University of

California.

Dr Gupta has also stated in a paper:

" We theorised that the high titers of rubella antibody (>1280 vs. normal

<320) present in mothers of children with autism would be transplacentally

transferred and may also persist for a prolonged period in the child. When

such a child gets MMR immunisation, rubella antigen may complex with

pre-existing antibodies and such complexes might play a role in the

pathogenisis of autistic features. " (85)

85 Taken from: Dysregulated Immune System in Children with Autism:

Beneficial Effects of Intravenous Immune Globulin on Autistic

Characteristics by Sudhir Gupta et al. Journal of Autism and Development

Disorders Vol 26 No 4. 1996.

One possible reason for a child's immune system being incapable of coping

with the vaccine might be a genetic deficiency in one of the complement

proteins (86) which are essential for the triggering of a normal immune

reaction.

86 Complement forms a system of 18 proteins which are an integral part of

the immune system reaction to an antigen wuch as a bacterium or virus.

" Conceivably, human subjects one ot two C4B null alleles [a deficient form

of complement C4B gene] may not be able to clear certain viruses completely

or before the viruses affect the central nervous system..... It seems

possible that C4B deficiency is associated with a sub-group of autistic

patients " (87)

87 Decreased Plasma Concentrations of the C4B Complement Protein in Autism

Author9s): Warren R P, Burger R A, et al. Publication: Archives of

Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Vol. 148 P 180-183) Date: February 1994.

The link with disease (particularly rubella) is also acknowledged in The

Biology of Autistic Syndromes:

" Rubella in utero has been shown to cause an altered immune response in some

infants owing to the prenatal viral insult (South and Alford 1973, Fuccillo

et al. 1974). Lack of antibody response to a previous vaccination is helpful

in diagnosing retrospectively an episode of prenatal rubella. Stubbs (1967)

checked rubella titres in 13 children with autism who had had a previous

rubella vaccination. In contrast to controls, five of the 13 children with

autism had undetectable titres in spite of a previous vaccination. However,

in the same study, a rubella vaccine challenge did not differentiate

children with autism from the control subjects. " (88)

88 The Biology of Autistic Syndromes; Chtistopher Gillberg and ;

Mac Press; 2nd Edition (ISBN (UK) 0 901260 92 4) page: 134

This chapter in the book concludes:

" A great deal more work is needed before it is fully understood how the

immunological factors in patients or families chould predispose to the

infectious aetiology of autism... " (89)

89 Ibid. Page 135.

We would agree, but we would also repeat that it is clear the Department of

Health are in no position to assert that a vaccine containing the measles

mumps and rubella viruses has no link with the late development of autism.

Clearly a number of researchers have independently begun to point to

immunisation (particularly with rubella) as a risk factor.

A US Court case involving autism.

We have a copy of the judgment of the United States Court of Federal Claims

of Lassiter v Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. (90)

This case involved the DPT vaccine but the biological mechanism of damage is

identical. We quote below from the judgment:

90 Case 90 - 2036V Filed: December 17 1996.

" Doctors Steffenburg and Gillberg list many disorders, 22 in all, which have

been associated with autism. They conclude that autism is not a disease but

'represents a behavioural syndrome with multiple etiologies.... Autism can

be the final common expression of various contributory/etiological factors.'

They explain further that genetic factors are in operation in some cases.

'Disease entities or pre- and prenatal damage leading to

destruction/dysfunction in certain brain areas can cause autism in others.'

'The Etiology of Autism,' (91)

91 P Ex 21 at 65, 73-75

Diagnosis and Treatment of Autism. Gillberg ed, Proceedings of the

State-of-the-art-Conference on Autism: held May 8-10 1989 in Goteborg

Sweden.

" Dr Gerhard Bosh states in his treatise on 'infantile Autism' that various

factors or noxae working together can cause autistic symptoms, either

triggering the autistic symptoms, either triggering the autistic behaviour

or intensifying the effect. (92)

92. P Ex 20 at 130

He explains further that as a result of 'cerebral affections suffered in

early childhood a clinical picture could develop that would be

indistinguishable from that of infantile autism.' He cites case reports in

which insults to the brain were followed by onset of infantile autism.'

Autism can occur or be closely simulated in children with known organic

brain damage.' Other etiologic factors include complications at birth,

prenatal damage, infectious diseases, encephalitis. 'In one case an

indeterminate post-natal feverish illness occurred, after which the

development of the child is said to have changed.... Symptomatologically

equivalent cases of autism [can be caused] by cerebral-organic damage.' (93)

93. Ibid. at 132-134

" In his treatise entitled 'Recent Neurological Findings in Autism,' Luke Y

Tsai also lists a similar variety of established neurologic disorders

reported in autism including viral infections and other toxic or

environmental causes of brain damage. He explains that it is now well

accepted that autism results from dysfunction in certain parts of the

central nervous system (CNS) that effect language, cognitive and

intellectual development, and the abillity to relate. He believes that

autism may be 'the commone pathway of a diverse range of organic brain

conditions' including both prenatal and post-natal infections or injuries,

the latter accounting for those whose autism is manifested 'after a period

of apparently normal development " (94)

94. Ibid. at 83-84 P Ex 21. This extract from judgement in Lassiter v

Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services taken from pages

7-8. We currently do not have the texts referred to, but these are on their

way, and presumably the judge summarised the medical literature accurately.

<,p> Note: the court found in favour of the autistic claimant.

The enigma of autism - some thoughts of our own.

The apparent link between autism and the MMR vaccine troubles us greatly. It

is also controversial, with the Department of Health firmly dismissing any

possible link, and the parents of affected children being convinved of it.

Certain facts seem undeniable:

1 The children all had the MMR vaccine.

2 Before they were vaccinated they were (according to their parents)

developing perfectly normally, passing all milestones, demonstrating norrmal

skills, and showing none of the classical signs of autism. Indeed in many of

the cases we have studied in detail, the children appear to have been

advanced in their development.

3 After being vaccinated they regressed (sometimes within only a few days),

losing mental, physical and social skills. Many are so severely handicapped

that they have to have constant supervision and are subject to educational

'statementing'.

4 It is quite clear that medical science has, as yet, no explanation for

autism. There are plenty of theories, but no answers. Late onset autism

seems to be particularly perplexing to those investigating autism, with the

strong suggestion that it must have been there from birth, but was simply

not observed (or did not manifest itself until later):

" The abnormality in the brain which causes autism may well, in certain

cases, have been there from before birth, but before a certain age, the

nervous system is able to deal with the demands posed by development.

Gradually, the brain can no longer fully cope with these demands and the

autistic symptoms appear clearly for the first time. In such cases 'autism',

even if congenital, will appear to have its onset after infancy " (95)

95. The Biology of Autistic Syndromes; Gillberg and

; Mac Press; 2nd Edition (ISBN 9UK0 0 901260 92 4) page 57

5 It is however acknowledged that autism can be 'caused' by some insult.

" In other cases, however, it is clear that the autistic syndrome developed

after some particular postnatal brain affliction such as herpes

encephalitis " (96)

96. The Biology of Autistic Syndromes; Page: 61. See also the report on the

Lassiter case (above)

This seems obliguely to be acknowledged even by the Government's Chief

Medical Officer:

" It is therefore highly unlikely that MMR vaccine plays a part in the

development of autism in children who do not have significant neurological

manifestations after immunisation " (97)

97. Memorandum to all Directors of Public Health reference EM/CMO/97/3 dated

7 February 1997 from Sir Calman, Chief Medical Officer, Department

of Health.

The inference is that he concedes that MMR does play a part if there is a

" significant neurological manifestation " .

Although there is sometimes an immediate reaction to vaccination, our

experience suggests that this is not necessary to produce autism or other

adverse reactions. Deafness, for instance, is often not accompanied by any

noticeable reaction. (98)

98 See, for instance: Sensorineural hearing loss following live measles

virus vaccination Author (s): Letter: JG, Publication: International

Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology Vol. 19: pp 189-190) Date: 1990

But, the autism reported to us by parents is showing itself at about the

same time as it did in children before the MMR vaccine was introduced. It is

also appearing in the same ratio (4 to 1 in favour of boys) as it has always

done. If it were happening independently of the vaccinations, then it would

show the same pattern.

What is there to indicate that autism after vaccination is in any way

different from autism which occurred in the general population before MMR

and (measles) vaccines were introduced.

First of al there is the congenital autism (estimated as occurring in 80 per

cent of cases) (99).

99 The Biology of Autistic Syndromes; Page: 22

If this percentage is correct, then the majority of autistic children were

doomed from birth to develop the symptoms, which will show themselves in the

normal manner. What we are therefore concerned about is the remainder which

will include those where some event happened to bring on the autistic

symptoms. It is also likely to be a sub-set: we have already noted that it

is described as 'atypical' autism. Many of the children do not conform

exactly to the classical definition of autism. That may give a clue.

Secondly, in this section of the fact sheet, we have highlighted the

concerns and findings of doctors and scientists investigating autism and its

possible links with MMR vaccine. They have certainly noted a connection with

the vaccine, and with the same viruses in the vaccine (especially rubella).

Thirdly, we have described ways in which the vaccine might cause autism, in

other words, there is biological plausibility.

Fourthly, we have noted that there is anecdotal (and sometimes direct)

evidence of a significant increase in autism in this country. If the

incidence of autism is rising above normally expected levels, then something

must be causing it.

Fifthly, even though the link between autism and vaccines is rejected by the

government, nobody knows what does cause it.

No records are kept centrally of the incidence of autism. This state of

affairs was the subject of criticism by the House of Commons Health

Committee:

" We are concerned at the failure of the DoH(Department of Health) to collect

information centrally on autistic children and to issue specific guidance on

services for such children. " (100)

100 Commons Health Committee: Second Report. The Specific Health Needs of

Children and Young People; Volume 1; 10 February 1997; Paragraph 105.

What, inevitably, they must therefore be saying is " We don't know what is

causing it but we know it is not the vaccine " (a difficult argument to

sustain).

Sixthly, we have the accounts of more than 280 parents who believe that

their children were indeed normal before they were vaccinated, and who can

point to nothing (other than the vaccination) which could account for the

deterioration in their child's condition.

Seventhly, we have the links with inflammatory bowel disease (see below).

About half of the vaccinated children with autism have some form of chronic

intestinal problem. Furthermore, their autism improves (but is not cured) if

the bowel inflammation is reduced. It might well be possible to show

involvement with the vaccine virus in respect of the intestinal conditions.

But it goes further than that. We know of experts who believe that there is

a connection between autism and peptides leaking through the gut wall.

" Our results show that in some patients with infantile autism damage to

tight junctions of the gut mucosa as evidenced by IPT occurs in the absence

of established gastrointestinal disorders. Such alteration could represent a

" possible " mechanism for the increased passage through the gut mucosa of

peptides derived from foods. " (101)

101. Abnormal intestinal permeability in children with autism: D D'Eufemia

et al. Acta Paediatr 85. 107609. 1996. p. 1078

Damage to the gut wall is caused by inflammatory bowel disease, and it looks

likely that we will be able to show that the vaccine causes that condition.

Therefore, through this route alone, it follows that there is a clear

possible link with the vaccine.

Our tentative conclusing is therefore this:

If after very careful history taking (plus examinations of photographs,

videos, medical records and so on) it can be shown objectively that a child

was developing normally and had acquired social and other skills which were

within normal range (and which showed none of the hallmarks of autism) prior

to being vaccinated; and if there as no other event which could account fot

he condition, then in all probability the MMR vaccine has played a part in

the cause of autism.

We emphasise that our views are tentative. But in legal terms we would

certainly assert that there is a case to answer.

Inflammatory bowel disease and Autism

As we have already mentioned, there also could be a link between the two

conditions (Crohns and Autism) AND the measles element of the vaccine. Our

work also indicates a clear biological mechanism for the two conditions.

Indeed many children with autism have chronic bowel disorders. There have

been some striking improvements in the autistic condition of some children

after their bowel problems have been appropriately treated.

If your child has developed persistent stomach problems (including stomach

pains, constipation or diarrhoea) following the vaccination, ask us for a

fact sheet from Dr Wakefield (who is looking into Crohns disease).

Conclusion.

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We have gone into the matter in some considerable detail because we feel

that it is time to make it clear that vaccine damage is not some capricious

concept, but is very real, and is demonstrable using scientific principles.

The families with injured children have not been treated well; and it has

not helped them to have all their concerns dismissed by those who are

responsible for vaccination programmes.

The Vaccine Damage Compensation Scheme (see our Vaccines General factsheet,

and our factsheet on Vaccine Damage Payments) is a disgrace. It pays a fixed

sum of £30,000 but parents have to prove that their children are 80%

disabled as a result of the vaccine. In reality it costs more than £30,000 a

year to care for a seriously disabled child. This kind of payment is

regarded by many as an insult to the families whose children have been

seriously injured. Yet the government has no plans to increase it.

" The current levels of payment, according to the HEA (Health Education

Authority) research do not appear to deter parents from agreeing to

immunisation, and the Government recently made it clear that it has no plans

to review the scheme, stating that it operates fairly and effectively in its

present form... " (102)

102 From: Vaccines and their Future Role in Public Health. Parliamentary

Office of Science and Technology July 1995 page 42.

We wonder if parents would think the same about the Vaccine Damage

Compensation Scheme if they knew its limitations, and had a chance to read

the datesheet on the MMR/MR vaccines and to find out other information about

the vaccine before having their children vaccinated.

One mother (whose child is now autistic) wrote to us recently:

" If I knew then what I know now, I would have allowed Sophie [the name has

been changed] to take her chance and have measles. "

Those exact sentiments were also expressed at a recent meeting of concerned

parents by the mother of a sixteen year old boy who died a few days after

receiving the MR vaccine.

's moher (see under autism) has also written:

" The best way to describe the last 9 months is that I have grieved fo the

son I thought I had. In order for the maintenance of my own sanity I have to

live for the day and do the best that I can for my own family. I have given

up my career of teaching to look after . I do not begrudge giving my

children my time. I also do not resent losing my income. What I do resent is

the battle I have had to have investigated and the fact that I was

not informed about the side effects of the MMR. Parents give their consent

to vaccination to prevent illness not to cause their children damage. In

hindsight if I had known the side effects of the MMR I would not have had my

children inoculated. I would have taken the risk of them getting the

diseases. Children are not the Government's guinea pigs and they need to

face up to their responsibility that vaccinations can cause damage. "

's mother writes (103)

103 Again the name has been changed. He is 5 years old. He was a really

bright little boy before he received the vaccine at three and a half years

old.

" has severe mental impairment brought about by encephalitis after

having the MMR injection. He has no speech, no understanding of language at

all, no concentration, bizarre behavioural problems and rarely acknowledges

anyone. He has become very strong and aggressive. He is having constant

tantrums, screaming and flinging himself to the ground and biting anyone who

tried to restrain him. He is very frustrated and agitated most of the time.

" When he is at home takes up 99% of my time. I cannot give my two

other boys the attention they need. Looking after such a mentally impaired

child is extremely wearying and detrimental to family life.

" Our son was once a bright, happy, normal child who could speak and love

everyone. Now we all suffer the dreadful sense of loss, and the sadness and

strain is taking its toll on our marriage. "

On the frustrations of persuading some members of the medical profession to

accept even the possibility that the vaccines are implicated with damage.

's (104) mother writes.

104 Not the true name.

" The paediatrician told me of the neurologist's opinion that the damage to

the white matter of the brain had probably occurred before birth. I

responded by tellling the paediatrician that this made no sense whatsoever

as had been a healthy normal baby up until the age of 16 months when he

had the MMR vaccines. He said that he was only stating the neurologist's

opinion and went on to agree that it seemed as if were struck down by

something at about that age, die to the fact that he was walking and

talking. He went on to say that damage occurring in the newborn child

usually meant that it was a progressive problem and within the first months

of life would generally show itself and continue to progress until such time

as it became very serious and often the child would die. Payl's MRI scan had

showed a global damage to the brain.

" I was upset and told him that in view of what he had just told me it seemed

more than ever that it was definitely the vaccine that had caused the brain

damage in . I went on to say that I was angry that no one would begin to

look at the obvious and examine the possibility that vaccines could cause

such damage in children. I stated that there were probably many more cases

that have been diagnosed as autistic or autistic tendencies when the reports

were made by people like the neurologist who from the very first meeting

with had labelled him autistic. I asked him if he thought that the

neurologist would agree that the evidence would indicate that there was a

possibility that the MMR had been responsible. He stated that he did not see

how he could not say that there was a possibility. I said that he would

definitely find a way as he was so anti the idea the MMR could cause such

damage. He said that he would write to the neurologist and ask him that very

question. I said that I needed someone to say that it was possible. I asked

him to speak out and report it to the Medical Officer of Health. He began to

tell me of the implications involved. That parents would panic, I agreed,

and said that I was aware of that. He said that the government wouldn't like

it. I agreed and he also mentioned litigation. I said surely if it was to

save further children it was necessary that someone speak out. He said that

his hands were tied. I said yes but mine are not. He agreed.

" I was in tears at this time and said that I needed someone to say that it

was possible that the vaccine had caused 's brain damage. He did then

say, 'Yes of course there is a possibility.' "

We are not saying that all injuries suffered after the MMR or MR vaccination

are automatically caused by the vaccine. But we are saying that our own

investigations give cause for considerable concern that the vaccines may not

be safe (or for that matter measles mumps and rubella are not as dangerous)

as they are claimed to be. If we, with our very limited resources, have been

able to point to possible links between the devastating conditions suffered

by the children we are helping and the vaccines, then it should not have

been difficult for the Government or the manufacturers of the vaccines to do

so.

We are not reassured about the Government's efforts to identify or act on

information about the side effects from Pluserix or Immravax when problems

occurred with those vaccines.

There is no doubt that the children we are helping are now ill or disabled

(many very seriously). All have had the MMR or MR vaccine and in the vast

majority of cases there is no event other than the vaccination which could

account for the injury. If a teenager takes Exstasy and becomes ill or dies,

it is Immediately concluded that the illness or death was caused by the

drug. Similarly if a child becomes disabled after having measles or mumps,

the natural diseases are always blamed. But if a child becomes ill or dies

after vaccination, it is dismissed as mere coincidence. We would like to see

doctors, health authorities and the Government show a more open mind on the

subject of vaccine side effects. Considering the number of children already

known to us to be ill or disabled after vaccination, that is not asking a

lot.

Health professionals must always bear in mind one of the tenets of medicine:

" Primum non nocere' " (105)

105 Firstly, do no harm.

It may be that vaccination against measles mumps and rubella is justified.

If that is the case, then those who suffer the down side should be properly

taken care of; and full information about the reality of vaccination risks

should be made available to all who require it.

But if the risks are greater than we have been told, then the Department of

Health has an urgent duty to review its vaccination policy. Measles is

always claimed to be a dangerous disease. If it is, why not restrict

vaccination to measles only for children? Mumps has never been claimed to be

serious. With rubella the risk is generally associated with birth defects.

When the Japanese found problems with MMR they changed over to single

antigen vaccines. It could be done here too. Alternatively the age of

vaccination could be changed. If our information is correct, then the

majority of very serious side effects (but not all) relate to the MMR

vaccine administered at 15 months (as opposed to the MR vaccine which was

given to school children). Would the side effects be less devastating if

small children were given MMR at, say, 30 months?

We are happy for you to send a copy of this fact sheet to your doctor. It

should be made clear that we are investigating claims against the vaccine

manufacturers and the government not the doctors who in good faith

administered these vaccines. We hope however that what we have said will be

of interest to practitioners, and we can supply a copy of any of the

references we have given.

We repeat that this factsheet does not give medical advice, and nor does it

seek to persuade anyone to have, or not have, a child vaccinated.

If you believe your child has been damaged:

We will be glad to try to help if you believe your child has been damaged by

the vaccine. We do not want to raise false hopes. It will not be a easy

task. There will be many hurdles to overcome. The only promise we can make

is that it will be a long hard struggle.

Nonetheless we propose to seek proper compensation in the courts, but we

will also help with applications to the Vaccine Damage Tribunal.

Alternatively if you have your own solicitor we will be happy to provide

assistance to him or her; we are helping a number of firms of solicitors

under our contract with the Legal Aid Board to investigate claims arising

from the MMR and MR vaccines.

The first thing to do is to get the facts, and then to apply for legal aid

(parent's finances are not taken into account in applications for children).

We (or your solicitor) will take care of the paperwork. Ask us for more

details.

We have more fact sheets on the tollowing. If you believe your child may

have been damaged by vaccines, ask us for copies:

Vaccines General (this gives contact addresses)

Medical Accidents and claims

Consumer Protection Act

Vaccine Damage Payments Act claims.

In the interests of balance:

The Department of Health has now produced its own fact sheet on MMR

vaccines. Needless to say, it takes a somewhat different approach from this

factsheet. Your GP should be able to supply you with a copy, or

alternatively you can contact the Department of Health, Welllington House,

135-155 Waterloo Road, London S.E.1. 8UG.

If you need any further information (or further copies of this fact sheet)

please feel free to contact:

Barr (partner) or

Kirsten Limb (Medical/scientific investigator) at Hodge &

Solicitors.

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------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheri Nakken <vaccineinfo@...> wrote:

Booster shots for Pertussis and now this...this is an emerging

pattern, and unfortunately our health " experts " don't recognize

that the increase in adult incidence of these diseases is a

direct RESULT of our mass vaccination policy.

Apparently the only remedy they can come up with is more vaccines.

Follow the money.

Dave

Nationwide Campaign for Vaccination of Adults Against Rubella

and Measles --- Costa Rica, 2001

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5044a2.htm

[MMWR 50(44):976-979, 2001. Centers for Disease Control]

In 1999 in Costa Rica, a large rubella outbreak occurred among

persons aged 15--45 years. In response, the Ministry of Health

adopted the goal of eliminating rubella and congenital rubella

syndrome (CRS). In 2001, a nationwide vaccination campaign

reached approximately 1.6 million (>95%) persons aged 15--39

years. This report highlights successful aspects of the

campaign, including effective planning, cooperation among

government ministries, social mobilization, the use of

house-to-house vaccination teams, daily coverage reports from

local staff, vaccine safety monitoring, and strategies for

ensuring a sufficient national blood supply. This campaign will

strengthen measles eradication and lead to rubella and CRS

elimination in Costa Rica.

In Costa Rica, measles vaccine was introduced in 1967, the

combined measles-rubella (MR) vaccine in 1972, and

measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) in 1986 as a single dose for

children at age 12 months. Since 1992, a second dose of MMR

vaccine has been recommended for children aged 7 years, and

nationwide campaigns were conducted in 1992 (targeting children

aged 1--4 years), 1997 (targeting children aged 1--14 years),

and 1999 (targeting children aged 7--14 years) (Figure 1) [1].

In 1996, a nationwide serosurvey indicated that rubella immunity

was lowest (46%) among persons aged 15--24 years [2]. In 1999, a

rubella outbreak, in which 906 (84%) of 1,083 cases occurred

among persons aged 15--45 years, prompted an MMR campaign among

children aged 7--14 years (Figure 2).

Figure 1

Figure 2

On the basis of age-specific data on the incidence of rubella,

age-specific fertility rates, and the risk for CRS during

pregnancy, 30 CRS cases were projected to occur following the

1999 outbreak. In response, the Ministry of Health implemented a

national rubella and CRS elimination program that included MR

vaccination* for persons aged 15--39 years, in accordance with

World Health Organization recommendations [3--5].

Measles-containing vaccine was used in this campaign to maintain

elimination of measles in Costa Rica. The last confirmed case of

measles was reported in September 1999.

During May 2001, the Ministry of Health and the Social Security

System collaborated to vaccinate >95% of the adult population.

The ministries of education and labor, worker's unions,

religious leaders, community associations, student federations,

university representatives, entrepreneurs, and local governments

assisted with communication and social mobilization. During the

2 weeks preceding the vaccination campaign, news-papers, radio,

and television stations informed the targeted adults about the

importance of vaccination.

During the campaign, vaccine was offered at health units and

locations convenient for the target populations (e.g., malls,

universities, and workplaces). In addition, mobile teams went

house-to-house from sparsely populated areas to densely

populated areas. Reports of doses administered were submitted

daily by health units and periodically by selected workplace

vaccination programs. These reports were used to estimate

regional and national vaccination coverage by age group, sex,

and canton (i.e., district) of residence.

During the 4 weeks of the campaign, coverage of persons aged

15--45 years increased from 30% at the end of week 1, to 61%,

80%, and 98% for subsequent weeks, respectively. A total of

1,635,445 persons were vaccinated, representing 42% of the

country's population [6,7]. Vaccination coverage? by age group

was 111% (aged 15--19 years), 92% (aged 20--24 years), 93% (aged

25--29 years), 87% (aged 30--34 years), and 106% (aged 35--39

years). Coverage was >100% in the youngest and oldest targeted

age groups because of the inclusion of vaccinated persons either

younger or older than the targeted age. Vaccination coverage was

at least 80% in all 81 cantons and 95% in 60 cantons.

Vaccine safety surveillance conducted by the Social Security

System using a passive reporting system detected 981 events

(rate: 60 per 100,000 vaccinated persons) possibly related to

vaccination, including rash (26%), lymphadenopathy (16%), fever

(15%), headache (10%), and arthralgias or arthritis (10%). Of

>1.6 million doses administered, health-care workers reported

five needlestick injuries at the time of vaccine preparation out

.. Women aged 15--40 years known to be pregnant (56,634 [7%]) at

the time of the campaign were not vaccinated and will be

vaccinated after delivery.

Vaccinated persons were not eligible to donate blood for 1 month

after vaccination, and blood donations decreased 52% in May

compared with the previous 12 months. To maintain the blood

supply, information about blood donation was distributed to

persons not targeted for vaccination; persons aged 40 years had

accounted for approximately 25% of blood donations before the

campaign. During and immediately after the campaign, this group

accounted for approximately 95% of donations. Blood donations

returned to normal in July.

Surveillance for measles and rubella in Costa Rica is integrated

with the surveillance of febrile rash illnesses, including

dengue fever and leptospirosis. In conjunction with the MR

vaccination campaign, rubella and CRS surveillance protocols

were updated, laboratory capabilities for isolating and

identifying rubella virus were upgraded, and training programs

were conducted for staff at the national epidemiologic

surveillance unit.

Reported by: Ministry of Health; Social Security System, Costa

Rica. Div of Vaccines and Immunization, Pan American Health

Organization, Washington, DC, Div of International Health,

Epidemiology Program Office; Epidemiology and Surveillance Div;

Global Measles Br, Global Immunization Div, National

Immunization Program, CDC.

Editorial Note

Adults are difficult to reach with mass vaccination campaigns

possibly because vaccination usually is not considered part of

adult health care. Aspects of the design and implementation of

this vaccination campaign can serve as a model for other

countries that want to eliminate CRS and rubella.

Complete demographic information about the target population

obtained through an up-to-date census or registry is useful in

assuring adequate vaccine and staff, targeting the campaign to

appropriate areas, and estimating coverage. Supplemental

outreach activities can reach immigrants and persons residing in

remote areas.

Coordination between national authorities and local campaign

organizers can avoid the occurrence of dangerously lowering

blood reserves. Strategies include conducting a blood drive

before the vaccination campaign, selecting a pool of donors to

be vaccinated after the campaign, and offering incentives for

blood donation among persons aged 40--60 years. Safety data

should be gathered in a timely fashion to ensure the safety of

vaccine and to address concerns about adverse events. The low

number of needlestick injuries reflects the appropriate

biosafety training given to vaccinators before the campaign.

To maintain the goals of measles, rubella, and CRS elimination,

Costa Rica will need to 1) achieve and maintain coverage 95%

with measles- and rubella-containing vaccine at both scheduled

vaccination opportunities or conduct periodic mass vaccination

campaigns; 2) continue surveillance for measles, rubella, and

CRS; and 3) adjust their vaccination strategy in response to new

surveillance information.

* MR vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India.

? Measured by the number of doses of rubella-containing vaccine

administered to persons in the age group divided by the total

population in that age group and multiplied by 100.

References

1.Morice A, Castillo-Solorzano C, Depetris A, et al. Impact

evaluation of rubella vaccination on incidence of rubella

and congenital rubella syndrome in

Costa Rica [technical report]. San , Costa Rica:

Ministry of Health, August 2000.

2.Sáenz E, González L, Morice A, Castillo-Solorzano C,

Depetris A. Rubella seroprevalence in school age children

and women in childbearing age, Costa

Rica. San , Costa Rica: Ministry of Health, 2000.

3.Ministry of Health. Plan to eliminate congenital rubella

syndrome and measles eradication. San , Costa Rica:

Ministry of Health, February 2001.

4.Pan American Health Organization. Expanded Program on

Immunization, EPI Newsletter. February 2001;23:1--3.

5.World Health Organization. Control of rubella and

congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) in developing countries.

Geneva, Switzerland: World Health

Organization, 2000; document no. WHO/V & B/00.03.

6.Ministry of Health. Final report of the national

immunization campaign against measles and rubella in men and

women 15 to 39 years. San , Costa

Rica: Ministry of Health, 2001. 7.Pan American Health

Organization. Expanded Program on Immunization. EPI

Newsletter. August 2001;23:1.

<< All opinions expressed are mine, not the University's >>

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National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research

Programmer/Analyst University of California, San Diego

dfoster@u... Department of Neuroscience, Mail 0608

(858) 534-7968 http://ncmir.ucsd.edu/

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" The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one

persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress

depends on the unreasonable. " -- Bernard Shaw

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Sheri Nakken, R.N., MA

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

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