Health authorities block import of unlicensed single mumps vaccine

Attempts to import a single mumps vaccine, which is known to cause meningitis in some children, were blocked yesterday by the Department of Health.

Suppliers had sought permission to import an unlicensed vaccine, which has not been used in Britain since 1992 because of the risk of children contracting viral meningitis.

But the Medicines Control Agency, which is responsible for the safety of all medicines available in the UK, yesterday told importers they must not bring the vaccine into the country.

The warning followed advice from an independent panel of scientists, who said that vaccines containing the Urabe strain of the mumps virus carried an "unacceptable risk" to children.

Professor Alasdair Breckenridge, chairman of the Committee on Safety of Medicines, said: "There is sound evidence that [the] mumps vaccine containing the Urabe strain of virus is associated with a risk of meningitis and no proven additional benefits. This risk to children of a potentially serious neurological complication makes its use unacceptable and we are advising MCA not to allow importation of vaccines containing this strain."

Demand for single vaccines against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) has soared in recent months because of a collapse in confidence in the combined jab.

Fears of a possible link with autism and childhood bowel disorders have seen large numbers of parents opt for single immunisations, even though nearly all doctors say that MMR is safe.

But recent decisions by manufacturers to halt the production of several single vaccines, including another form of the mumps vaccine, have fuelled concerns that supplies could run out.

This has raised the alarm about the number of children who remain unprotected against the diseases. According to one recent report, government advisers now believe that one in seven children under 10 in Britain, or about 800,000 in total, are at risk of contracting measles because of the failure to innoculate.

The MMR vaccine contains a strain of mumps virus called Jeryl Lynn, which is not associated with meningitis and which is used in many countries around the world.

But the manufacturer of the unlicensed single Jeryl Lynn vaccine recently halted production, which led to the MCA receiving requests to import the Urabe strain.

In a statement, the CSM said studies had shown that at least one case of Urabe mumps meningitis would occur for every 3,800 doses distributed.

The decision was backed by Jabs, the support group for families of children damaged by vaccines. Jonathan Harris, West Midlands spokesman for Jabs, said: "It is absolutely right for the MCA to do this. We campaign for vaccine safety so we would not recommend any private vaccine supplier or GP that intended to use the Urabe strain of mumps."