Parents told 'MMR is safe' (From Barry And District News)

Parents told 'MMR is safe'

VALE MP John Smith has made an impassioned plea to local parents to have their children vaccinated with MMR.

Mr Smith has spoken out as the controversy over the safety of the vaccine is debated across the country.

Vaccination rates are dropping amid concerns, strongly denied by the government, that the MMR vaccine could be linked to the increase in the number of cases of autism in Britain.

The government is refusing to fund single jabs against Measles, Mumps and Rubella on the NHS, because they say it is not as effective as MMR, and have launched a media campaign to get parents to have their children vaccinated.

Mr Smith is backing that line wholeheartedly, arguing that the government is backed by the scientific evidence.

"I would encourage all parents to allow their children to be vaccinated using the MMR triple vaccination" he said.

"Our children are very precious to us and I do understand the concerns of parents who are unsure. However we must make our decisions on the best science available.

"Studies from Sweden, Finland, USA and the UK from the Medical Research Council's group of experts and by two major independent safety reviews which recently reported in the USA show that there is no link with autism.

"I remember the unfounded concerns over the whooping cough vaccination in the 1970s and as a result in the reduced take up of that vaccination, thousands of children were admitted to hospital and more than 100 died in three separate epidemics.

"I would urge every parent of a young child to give them the vaccination."