More from PCT on MMR

[Guest guest]

You will remember I wrote back reiterating my original request for

the MMR safety studies data, to which I received this response today:

" Unfortunately I cannot offer you any further information other than

what I have already provided through the documents I previously sent

to you or through the web sites I have recommended.

The role of the PCT is to deliver a safe childhood immunisation

programme which has been robustly developed by the Department of

Health. I would again like to reassure you that the MMR vacine is a

safe and effective vaccine and hope you will consider habving your

child immunised " .

She then refers me to my GP if I have any further concerns.

My response is to issue a formal complaint as follows:

I don't understand how a representative of the PCT can reassure me

that the MMR vaccine is a safe and effective vaccine if the PCT is

unable to provide me with details of the safety studies (and their

outcomes) that were undertaken on the MMR vaccine together with

details of the timeline of the safety studies i.e., over what period

of time the children in the safety studies were followed up before

it was decided that the vaccine had no adverse effects.

Neither the documents that have been provided nor the web sites that

have been recommended contain any information about the MMR safety

studies.

This means that the PCT is reassuring parents about the safety of

the MMR vaccine whilst being unable to provide the details of the

MMR vaccine safety studies. Information on the MMR safety studies

is required in order to allow parents who request it to make an

informed choice about whether or not to allow their child to have

the MMR vaccine.

The White Paper `Our Health, Our Care, Our Say' commits PCTs to

making sure people have the information they need, when they need

it. Oldham PCT's inability to supply me with the information I am

requesting about MMR safety studies does not meet this standard.

I note in Ms Tickle's letter dated 1 July her comment that the

childhood immunisation programme `has been robustly developed by the

Department of Health'. I assume that `robust development' of the

programme has included an analysis of the safety data on the MMR

vaccine and so anticipate that the PCT will be able to request

details of the MMR safety studies from said Department and forward

them on to me.

By way of resolution of this complaint, I would like the PCT to do

whatever is necessary to provide me with details of the safety

studies (and their outcomes) that were undertaken on the MMR vaccine

together with details of the timeline of the safety studies i.e.,

over what period of time the children in the safety studies were

followed up before it was decided that the vaccine had no adverse

effects.

Lets see what happens next............

Zoe