Dr. Andrew Wakefield has never claimed to have found proof of a link between the MMR vaccination and the onset of regressive autism. He has only pointed out significantly high coincidences between the two, strongly indicating the need for further research. More ‘coincidences’ have been found by other researchers, e.g. MMR-strain measles virus in the brains of autism-affected children.

Having made the MMR vaccination Government policy for so long, and stressed its safety, the UK Department of Health has decided that accepting parents’ requests for single shots free through the National Health Service would be tantamount to admitting the possibility that the findings of Andrew and others may be more than coincidence. It knows, quite rightly, that offering parents the option of single jabs whilst continuing with its MMR programme would make it increasingly vulnerable to legal action.

Assessing the hounding of Andrew Wakefield by the UK medical establishment (Andrew has been forced to move to the US to pursue his work), the Daily Telegraph’s Dr. James le Fanu concluded: “It would seem that neither the Government nor the medical establishment can afford for Dr. Wakefield to be vindicated - and they are getting pretty desperate.”

Meanwhile the UK Department of Health is press-ganging local Primary Care Trusts and GPs into the battle by setting MMR vaccination target rates. GP practices will actually be fined if they fail to meet the MMR target.

Courtesy of The Informed Parent