The MMR vaccine
In recent years there has been much controversy surrounding the MMR vaccine. The vaccine was designed to immunise against three common infectious diseases 鈥 measlesAn infectious disease of the respiratory system caused by a virus., mumpsA viral disease that usually affects the salivary glands but can affect fertility in teenage boys and men., and rubellaAlso known as German measles, this is a viral disease with mild symptoms that can be very serious if contracted by a pregnant woman..
All three diseases are highly contagious and can spread rapidly without efficient vaccination programmes. Aside from their initial symptoms of rashes, swellings, and fevers, all three diseases can have serious, potentially fatal complications, including:
- meningitis
- swelling of the brain (encephalitis)
- deafness
- rubella can also cause miscarriage in pregnant women
While serious enough in developed countries, these diseases are catastrophic in developing countries where other conditions such as malnutritionA lack of proper food, which causes illness and disease. and malariaA potentially fatal disease spread by mosquitoes. are also prevalent. Measles is still one of the leading causes of vaccine-preventable deaths in developing nations.
The MMR vaccine was introduced to combat these three diseases and has proved very successful. Prior to mass immunisation, these three diseases were responsible for over two and a half million deaths a year. Since 2012, the global death rate has fallen to around 120,000.
In 1998, one medical study (which has since been discredited) suggested there was a link between MMR vaccine and autismA learning difficulty which is characterised by difficulties in social interaction and communication.. As a result MMR vaccination rates in the UK dropped. In 2018, the MMR vaccine rate had dropped to 87%. The target rate was 95%.
More recent studies by the World Health Organisation have shown that there is no link between the MMR vaccine and autism.