LONDON, ENGLAND. Dr. Andrew Wakefield and colleagues from the Royal Free Hospital and School of Medicine report that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine may be associated with an increased risk of developing inflammation of the colon as well as autism and other developmental disorders. Their "early report" in The Lancet describes the cases of 12 children aged between three and ten years who had been referred to the hospital with gastrointestinal symptoms and developmental problems. The children had all had a normal childhood but suddenly lost acquired skills such as language and communication and also developed abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea, and in some cases food intolerance. Nine of the children became autistic and 11 of them were found to have a chronic inflammation of the colon. The onset of the symptoms was associated by the parents or the children's doctors with immunization with the MMR vaccine. Dr. Wakefield's team has later assessed another 40 children, 39 of which were found to have the same disease symptoms. At present an additional 700 children are awaiting assessment. Dr. Wakefield believes that there could be a link between the MMR vaccine and the outbreak of gastrointestinal disease and developmental disorders. He does not advocate stopping vaccination against measles, mumps, and rubella, but suggests that until further data is available it may be advisable to give the vaccine in three separate shots so as to reduce the load on the immune system. Reaction to Dr. Wakefield's report has been swift and predictable. The public health authorities in both the United Kingdom and the United States maintain that the MMR vaccine is perfectly safe and caution parents against preventing their children from being immunized. They point out that hundreds of thousands of children receive the MMR vaccine every year and that a World Health Organization study has found no link between MMR vaccine and inflammatory bowel disease. Not surprisingly, they are also not keen on reverting to giving vaccines one by one as this would markedly increase the cost of the immunization program.
Wakefield, A.J., et al. Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children. The Lancet, Vol. 351, February 28, 1998, pp. 637-41, 646-47, 611-12
Nicoll, Angus, et al. MMR vaccination and autism 1998. British Medical Journal, Vol. 316, March 7, 1998, pp. 715-16, 724
New Scientist, March 7, 1998, pp. 3-4