Appendix F 431 18 JANUARY 2001 432
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Appendix F 431 18 JANUARY 2001 432 and quickest way in which we could remove some of the fear would be to make the single vaccine available to those parents who ask for it? The First Minister: A medical expert sitting on my right tells me that there is no spurious research. We should not dismiss research of such importance from Finland. If concern about the MMR vaccine is expressed throughout the country, people need reassurance. The Executive makes every effort to use science to confirm to people that the MMR vaccine is a safe method. It has also been claimed that there are links with Crohn’s disease and autism, but there is no robust scientific evidence to suggest that that is the case. It is also important to note that the single vaccines carry difficulties and health threats. I will write to Lloyd Quinan to give him a fair amount of background material on the triple vaccine as well as the single vaccine and to say what the Government is doing to reassure people in every public utterance. We want to meet the target of 95 per cent immunisation. We can all attempt to do that. Dr Richard Simpson (Ochil) (Lab): Does the First Minister agree that using terms such as “spurious” to describe the research paper from Measles, Mumps and Rubella Vaccine Finland, which involved 18 years of research and 4. Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): 2 million individuals, does not serve the case of To ask the First Minister what measures have those parents who have understandable concerns been taken in response to drops in recent years in about the increasing rates of autism? the uptake of the MMR triple vaccination. (S1F- Mr Quinan rose— 775) Dr Simpson: If there is no link between the The First Minister (Henry McLeish): I preface MMR vaccine and autism, there is a danger that my answer by saying that I was glad to see Lloyd those parents are going down a cul-de-sac and Quinan at the launch of the arts exhibition by the pursuing a wholly spurious cause, which may cross-party group on autistic spectrum disorder. It ultimately be damaging for them. is first class. It takes place in the Parliament and allows parliamentarians to participate on issues on The First Minister: I have suggested that which there should be consensus. advocacy of concern should always be put into perspective. There is a danger that the uptake of There are on-going public education measures immunisation will fall. That would not be good for by the Health Education Board for Scotland. The children or for the health of the country. chief medical officer has written to health professionals on several occasions reaffirming that On such issues, we have to build on facts. We expert advice remains that the measles, mumps can do that, and we can ensure that parents and rubella vaccine provides the best protection appreciate it and understand it. We must do as against those three potentially serious diseases, much as we can to reassure them. I take Richard and exhorting them to continue to encourage Simpson’s point entirely. parents to bring their children forward for immunisation. Mr Quinan: On behalf of the many parents and children who provided material for the exhibition, I thank the First Minister for being kind enough to open it for us last week. Does the First Minister agree that the current climate of concern, trepidation and fear that is being experienced by parents over the MMR vaccine is not helped by the introduction of spurious studies from Finland, and that the easiest 16 Appendix G 1081 8 FEBRUARY 2001 1082 why I welcome the MRC research on autism. The problem will not go away. Parents will not change their minds on the vaccine. I look forward The second concern, which is where we to the report of the Health and Community Care politicians come in, is about the efficacy of the Committee, which is likely to be both informative vaccination programme. We cannot just blindly and useful. However, at the end of the day, we will say that we think that something is right, so we will have to come to a decision. We should offer not listen to parents’ concerns. Parents have no parents the choice that they require and deserve. I choice at the moment. While I agree with much of hope that we can reach a point where we agree on what was said in the press release by the RCN, that. the BMA in Scotland and others, I take issue with the paragraph saying that “Parents should be encouraged to discuss any concerns 11:23 they have regarding the vaccination with their GP, practice Dr Richard Simpson (Ochil) (Lab): Some of nurse or health visitor who will be able to provide detailed what I was going to say has already been said, but information allowing the parent to make an informed I will emphasise some points. We have already choice.” had a member’s debate, initiated by Lloyd Quinan, What is the choice? It is MMR or no vaccination which raised many of the concerns about the at all. Is that a real choice? I am looking forward to MMR vaccine. I am sorry that I missed that our report setting out a range of options. The debate. single vaccine is not necessarily the panacea that Debating this motion when the Health and some people believe—it is untested, untried and Community Care Committee is on the point of brings problems of its own. I will wait until our receiving its report is almost a discourtesy to the report comes out before taking a final position on Parliament because it bounces us into making the matter. It is a complex issue and one to which decisions. I will vote against the motion, although I Parliament must return when we have a little more will keep an open mind on the Health and than three minutes each in which to discuss it. Community Care Committee report. I look forward The Deputy Presiding Officer (Mr George to discussing the issue once I have been able to Reid): We move to the open debate. Members consider all the evidence. I say that as someone have no more than three minutes each. who has read much of the evidence and many of the studies. 11:20 The first challenge to the vaccine is that it is not Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): safe. Dr Wakefield recently attacked the vaccine Tommy Sheridan opened the debate by saying as unsafe and suggested that it had been that he does not know whether there is a causal inappropriately licensed. That is invalid for two link between MMR and autism—that goes for most reasons. First, as Malcolm Chisholm mentioned, members, if not all. However, we know that there the number of doses that has been used across are parental fears. We have all met parents who the world demonstrates that there are no real have real concerns. No matter how many safety fears. Secondly, there are the results of the reassurances are given by the Government, the initial Finnish twin study, published in 1986, which BMA or anyone else, a sizeable minority of met the strictest scientific criteria. The study was parents will decide not to give their children the unique and classical—it was a placebo-controlled, MMR vaccine. double-blind twin study and demonstrated the vaccine to be safe. We must accept that over the years there has been growing public scepticism about Government Not only is the vaccine safe, evidence published reassurances. Rightly or wrongly, people no last year by the Finns in the Journal of the longer accept everything that the Government or American Medical Association demonstrated the medical profession says. What can we do? We positive benefits. The Finns were also considering must accept that the result is that some parents another theory, which is held there and which was will choose not to vaccinate their children. That is suggested here by a doctor—I am sorry to say—in the worst possible outcome and puts children in an article in the Daily Record not so long ago: that real danger. Margaret Smith made an important measles is not that bad because it somehow helps point. The BMA press release talks about the immune system. That is complete and utter “informed choice”, yet people are being offered no rubbish. The Finnish study shows that the levels of choice. What is the choice? It is our responsibility asthma, eczema and allergic rhinitis in children to take a pragmatic approach to the matter. In who receive MMR is reduced by between 32 and those cases where parents are refusing MMR, we 67 per cent when compared with those who have should consider offering a single vaccine— had measles. That was a substantial study measles in the first instance, followed by mumps showing that the MMR triple vaccine has benefited and rubella after the required period. the prevention of those diseases. I hope that we will be able to demonstrate that in Scotland, too. 17 Appendix G 1083 8 FEBRUARY 2001 1084 There is no doubt that the individual measles in the country expressing concern and telling me vaccine was an effective vaccine. However, the that there is a network of people who have level of measles in Scotland did not drop until the decided, because of their fear, not to take up the introduction of the triple vaccine. It was not until MMR vaccine.