MMR linked to one in 10 children who suffer autism

The debate over the safety of the MMR vaccine took another contentious turn yesterday when new research claimed to show that one in 10 cases of autism in children may be related to the combined measles, mumps and rubella jab.

Dr Paul Shattock, director of the University of Sunderland's autism research unit, said his unpublished study of 4,000 children suggested there could be a link. But he stressed more research was needed to establish conclusively whether the triple vaccine could trigger autism in some children.

An overwhelming majority of doctors, backed by the Department of Health, say there is no scientific evidence to support a link between the MMR vaccine and autism.

The Medical Research Council has also repeatedly stressed that independent studies have given "strong, positive evidence" that there is no link.

Parents of 400 children in Dr Shattock's study blamed the triple vaccine for their child's developmental disorder. Tests on urine samples from these youngsters also showed they had different levels of a particular protein to the other children.

Dr Shattock said: "Ten per cent of the parents alleged MMR triggered autism and our evidence would tend to support what they are saying.

"The chemicals in their urine are different from typical forms of autism, the clinical history is different, the symptomology is also fairly different."

Dr Peter Dukes, research strategy manager at the MRC, said: "Lots of people have heard about a possible link with MMR, so if you ask them the cause of their child becoming ill, one of the things they are going to think about is MMR."