Parents have been encouraged to ignore scares surrounding the MMR vaccination, following revelations in Britain that nearly half of family doctors, health visitors and nurses had reservations about giving children the second dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.
"The benefits far, far outweigh whatever mild risks there may be," said Dr Mary Cronin, public health specialist at the Eastern Regional Health Authority.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) had described the MMR vaccine as the safest and most effective vaccine used, she said, and parents should consider complications which arose from measles. Pneumonia, eye and ear infections, fatal brain inflammation and brain damage were just some of these, she said. In this State, the first MMR vaccine is given at 15 months and the second between 4 and 5 years old.
The research published in today's British Medical Journal showed almost one in five GPs had not read official advice about the MMR vaccine, and 46 per cent said they wanted more information and training. Up to a third of nurses believed the triple vaccine was linked to serious adverse side effects such as Crohn's disease and autism.
The report called for more education and information for GPs so they would encourage parents to use the vaccine.
Highlighting the danger of a measles outbreak, Dr Cronin pointed to the two deaths from measles in the eastern region last year and said there were over 1,200 cases of measles. During the first three months of 2000, MMR vaccination fell to 69.3 per cent in some parts of Dublin's inner city. According to WHO, immunisation levels must be at least 95 per cent to guarantee immunity for the whole population.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Department of Health said he had no evidence to suggest GPs were reluctant to give the second MMR vaccine to children.
Additional reporting: PA News
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