Intended for healthcare professionals

Rapid response to:

Observations Medicine and the Media

The private clinics that advertise unlicensed measles jabs

BMJ 2013; 346 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f2830 (Published 01 May 2013) Cite this as: BMJ 2013;346:f2830

Rapid Response:

Re: The private clinics that advertise unlicensed measles jabs

Margaret McCartney again emphasises her belief that "the combined MMR vaccine is safe and effective". But is MMR safe for everyone? What about the evidence? What about Robert Fletcher: was the MMR safe for him?

"In a six-page judgement, the medical assessment panel wrote: “Robert was a more or less fit boy who, within the period usually considered relevant to immunisation, developed a severe convulsion... and he then went on to be epileptic and severely retarded. The seizure occurred ten days after the vaccination. In our view, this cannot be put down to coincidence. It went on: “On this basis, we find that Robert is severely disabled as a result of vaccination and this is why we allowed the appeal.” [1]

[1] Blake H. 'Man disabled by MMR vaccine awarded £90,000 after 13-year fight' The Telegraph, 30 August 2010.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7970315/Man-disabled-by-MMR...

Competing interests: No competing interests

03 May 2013
Mark Struthers
GP
Bedfordshire
mark.struthers@which.net