Straight jabs
a controversial study suggesting that autism is a rare side effect of immunisation against measles, mumps and rubella has led to frantic calls for extended research into the safety of multi-component vaccines. These immunise children against several diseases with a single shot.
A team led by Andrew Wakefield of the Royal Free Hospital in London, uk , reports a study of 12 children with behavioural disorders and an inflammatory bowel condition. All were given the measles-mumps-rubella ( mmr ) triple vaccine and nine have been diagnosed as autistic ( New Scientist , Vol 157, No 2124).
Wakefield believes that in rare instances, mmr vaccine causes bowel inflammation, which, in turn, trigger the extreme social withdrawal of autism. However, other experts say that the study is inconclusive.
Frank DeStefano, a vaccine safety specialist at the us Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, says that it is difficult to determine in retrospect whether the symptoms of autism emerged only after the mmr vaccination, which is usually given between 12 and 18 months of age.
DeStefano also points out that millions have been given the mmr vaccine so far. So if autism is a side effect, it is extremely rare. Given this