Earlier this year we wrote to all parents of children involved in the single measles, mumps and rubella programme informing them that the pharmaceutical company, Merck, had announced that they were stopping production of the MumpsVax (mumps vaccine) for 2 years. Merck added a footnote to the effect that it was possible that they would never resume production of the vaccine.
The doctors at Private GP Services felt that it was unacceptable to continue offering single measles and rubella vaccines when no mumps vaccine would be available for at least two years to complete the course. At that time, we advised parents that it was in their child's best interest to have an MMR vaccine. This advice applied even if the child has had two measles, two rubella and one mumps vaccine and was only waiting for one mumps vaccine to complete the course. We were happy to offer single vaccines when we could offer complete protection, but this is no longer the case. We have withdrawn from the single vaccine programme.
Merck have recently announced that they will never be resuming production of the single mumps vaccine. There is no safe alternative to the single mumps vaccine. In these circumstances our advice to parents remains the same; it is in the child's best interests to be immunised against measles, mumps and rubella using the MMR vaccine.
Please telephone us on 01245 234134 for any further details.
