Babies to have six jabs in one day
The multiple inoculations will be administered just after they turn one, will be given in three different limbs and will protect against measles, mumps, rubella, two forms of meningitis and an infection that can cause pneumonia.
Primary care trusts in England and Wales were advised about the jabs last week and Government advisers hope such multiple inoculations will improve the uptake of the current MMR vaccine, which faced claims – that are no longer credible – that it was linked to autism.
Professor Dame Sally Davies, chief medical officer, wants the change to be “brought in as soon as practicable”, according to a letter accompanying the official advice sent to doctors.
These ‘super vaccinations’ could start to be administered as early as the end of the year as part of a national programme to boost immunity levels.
Parents are bound to be worried about the six-in-one jab because of concerns having so many inoculations at once could have possible side affects on their children. The joint committee on vaccination and immunisation advised the government to combine the jabs after research showed that having all six jabs in one, posed no safety problems. Research also showed that the move, “would be accepted by parents” and “might be expected to increase take-up’ of inoculations.
At the moment children receive:
12 months – a jab to protect them against two forms of meningitis
1 month after that – they receive the MMR jab to protect them against measles, mumps and rubella and a jab for pneumococcal infections.
Jackie Fletcher, founder of Jabs, a support group for families of vaccine-damaged children, said: “Parents need to remember that these vaccines are not compulsory and they must be given a full range of choice about when to have them. If you introduce six elements on one day, how do you know which part of the vaccine a child may react to?”
Fletcher was awarded £90,000 in compensation by the Department of Health this year because her son Robert suffered brain damage following an MMR jab.
The advisory committee has said that if parents refuse for their children to have all six inoculations on one day “it would be preferable if MMR and PCV13 (the jab which protects against pneumococcal infections) were given first, followed by the meningitis vaccines on a further visit”.
In 1998 in London, a group of research scientists led by Dr. Andrew Wakefield suggested that there might be a link between the MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccination and inflammatory bowel disease and autism.
The medical community has now dismissed these claims. Bodies such as the World Health Organisation, the Department for Health and other independent expert advisory groups have reviewed the evidence and concluded there is no causal link between the MMR vaccination and autism/bowel disease.
Due to the media furore, some parents have since lost confidence in the MMR combined vaccine and have chosen to give the vaccinations separately.
What do you think? Does the thought of your child having six innoculations in on day worry you? Let us know in our Baby Health chat forum.
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