Fallout of the enterocolitis, autism, MMR vaccine paper.

On the 28th Feb 1998 The Lancet published a paper by Andrew Wakefield 1 that proposed a new condition of enterocolitis, regressive autism and an association with MMR vaccine as the apparent precipitating event. At a press conference describing the 12 children case series he urged the use of single vaccines instead of MMR. The study generated immediate alarm and controversy. After its publication the findings had far reaching consequences. The implication that the MMR vaccine could precipitate Crohn’s disease and Autism was widely disseminated by the media. Attempts by the health authorities to reassure and calm fears were ineffective. Parents became extremely alarmed. Public confidence in the MMR vaccine was undermined and immunisation rates fell sharply below the critical 92% required for herd immunity. There was a rapid resurgence in the numbers of children affected with measles. Dublin was particularly badly affected. A paper published in 2003 describing the Irish experience of measles reappearance received worldwide attention 2 . It graphically illustrated the damage that can be caused when a vaccination programme is impaired. A total of 355 children attended Temple Street A&E with Measles and 111 were admitted with either pneumonitis or dehydration. Seven children required ventilation and 3 children died.