The Irish scientist who was the lead author of a study suggesting a link between measles and bowel disorders today re-iterated that his research does propose any connection between the MMR vaccine and behavioral or bowel disorders.
Prof John O'Leary, a molecular pathologist at the Coombe in Dublin has warned against associating the vaccine, which was not the subject of study, with the strain of measles link to the bowel disorders.
However, one of his colleagues on the study indicated a possible link between the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine and the strain of bowel disease detected in the children studied should not be readily dismissed.
"We don't know whether it is the vaccine strain or not but these children's only exposure has been to the vaccine strain. None of them had a history of measles," said Dr Andrew Wakefield told the British Medical Journal.
Prof O'Leary said it was too early to show a link to the vaccine. "You can't say at the moment that it is linked to the vaccine," he said. "There are several strains of the virus out there. They could have picked it up from the wild virus".
The study has added to fuel to a controversy in Britain where parents are expressing serious concerns about the safety of having their children immunised with the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine.
While concern both in Ireland and in other parts of the world about the vaccine has been expressed for a number of years, Dr Wakefield is one of the most prominent scientists arguing that the vaccine is linked to Autism. Some anti-MMR campaigners believe that bowel disorders are linked to Autism or that both disorders are caused by the MMR vaccine.
Dr Wakefield was a former senior lecturer at the Royal Free Hospital in London but was relieved of his position after the hospital decided his research was not in line with research strategy.
Concerns have been expressed by the Department of Health in Britain that the current controversy could cause a fall in the uptake of the vaccine and a consequent measles epidemic.
The Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson yesterday warned against "playing Russian Roulette" with children’s lives.
The Department of Health in Ireland has consistently argued the MMR vaccine is safe and that all parents should have their children vaccinated.