Health & Families

null 19° London Hi 22°C / Lo 13°C

MMR scare 'fuelled by ministers'

By Robert Verkaik, Law editor

Ministers are "fuelling the controversy" over health risks linked to the MMR vaccine by suppressing information about the decision to embark upon a national immunisation programme more than 20 years ago, the information watchdog has warned.

The Information Commissioner Richard Thomas has ordered the Department of Health to release a raft of 1988 documents under the Freedom of Information Act, saying that he believes it is in the public interest.

The Government had blocked requests for the information from the public on the grounds that disclosure could affect the commercial interests of pharmaceutical companies and could hinder future policy-making.

In 2007, measles cases in England and Wales hit a record high. The Health Protection Agency claimed it was spreading more easily because of the low uptake of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccination after an unsubstantiated scare over the jab.

Yesterday the Information Commissioner's Office confirmed it had ruled against the Government under the Freedom of Information Act. The Government was given 35 days to release the requested material.

Post a Comment

View all comments that have been posted about this article.

Offensive or abusive comments will be removed and your IP logged and may be used to prevent further submission. In submitting a comment to the site, you agree to be bound by the Independent Minds Terms of Service.

Comments

mmr
[info]jan009 wrote:
Friday, 6 February 2009 at 04:41 am (UTC)
What is the problem with releasing notes which could be of interest of familys
If the government wont take resposilbilites over vaccine damaged children then its in the interest of familys to make there own decisions judged on the edvidence at hand.
If there is nothing wrong with the immunisation programme and hasent been since 1988 then the vaccine companys and grovernments have nothing to hide.
Perhaps they should audit the books of the vaccine companys and see whoes receiving what ,
as they seem to shy away from the truth. Lets face it England has always been dependant on the money from these vaccine companys ask Toney Blair and oh of course his son didnt get the jab.
He and many others who dont have or will never have a side affect from this vaccine dont know what its like and have littles passion or thought for the people that have children who want and have all the inabitions to be normal but cant be . No one can give you an answer and no one wants to take responsibilities or give renumeration it just a few . so well well what does it matter!!!
Well , it will take a man to be a man and own up to this, the trouble is we just dont have any!!!

Free gym pass

Get fit for summer with Fitness First gyms in London

Download a free gym pass from Fitness First today

Article Archive

Day In a Page

Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat

Select date