BMJ 2001;322:1120 ( 5 May )

Letters

Health professionals' attitudes to MMR vaccine

    "Green book" should be updated every six months
    Format of "green book" should be changed
    More interactive training and updates on immunisation should be provided
    Advice in primary care affects parents' decision to take up MMR vaccination
    Doctors must understand reasons behind vaccination

"Green book" should be updated every six months

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR---Petrovic et al describe some of the uncertainties of health professionals involved in giving vaccinations.1 A degree of vulnerability is evident in the decreased rates of vaccination against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) and the negative publicity in the media. We suggest a way of increasing confidence clinically by improving the supply of information.

We have been concerned for some time about the lack of an up to date version of the Department of Health's "green book," Immunisation against Infectious Disease. These concerns are reinforced by the controversy surrounding vaccine programmes such as against measles, mumps, and rubella. The green book is a convenient form of evidence and advice covering the main vaccinations delivered through the NHS and is regarded as the Bible by many health professionals. A wide range of NHS staff is given responsibility for implementing these major public health programmes and other protective immunisations. . . . [Full text of this article]
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Relevant Article

Second dose of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine: questionnaire survey of health professionals
Marko Petrovic, Richard Roberts, and Mary Ramsay
BMJ 2001 322: 82-85. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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