A SINGLE MMR VACCINE SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM

offering childhood vaccines

 

                             www.mmrbirmingham.org.uk

 

1)                       About our service

2)     Mumps Single Vaccine Supply Update

3)     Remember the risk of Measles Infection

4)      Right to Single Vaccine:

 Petition the Government

 

 

1)                       About our service

 

Childhood Vaccines

 

Dear Parents

 

This service seeks to give parents informed choice in the difficult decisions you have to make in trying to prevent your child from getting measles, mumps and rubella.  We know you want the best for your child.  We realise that you recognise the general importance of childhood immunisations, but have been concerned about the reported risks of the combined MMR vaccine. 

 

We are able to offer a single measles, mumps and rubella vaccination schedule (subject to vaccine availability)

 

FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON MUMPS VACCINE SEE BELOW

 

Along with the majority of doctors, health visitors and nurses who deal with immunisation issues, we support the continued use of the combined MMR vaccine.  However, we realise that the publicity about it has been such that some parents do not wish to accept the combined vaccine and are prepared to pay for the option to have single vaccines. We support your right to have this choice.

 

Single measles, mumps and rubella vaccines are currently not manufactured in Britain. They are imported from continental Europe .All the vaccines are produced by highly reputable, multi national pharmaceutical companies. The importation process is under the auspices of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The vaccines are currently categorised as “unlicensed medicines” in Britain, and have to be ordered under a “named patient” basis.

 

There is no longer any requirement which determines the order in which the vaccines should be given. There is a world wide shortage of mumps vaccine and supplies of this vaccine therefore maybe intermittent. There has to be a minimal interval of 3 weeks between each vaccine and so we suggest that approximately a month between each vaccine is reasonable, depending on the practicalities of vaccine and appointment availability. 

 

It is important to realise that MMR vaccines, whether given singly or with the combined preparation, need to be given twice in childhood to ensure adequate protection into adult life.  Currently the second combined MMR vaccine is given between the ages of 3 and 5.  However the minimum required interval between the two is only 3 months. 

 

Before deciding that you wish to have single vaccines against measles, mumps and rubella, we would encourage you to read the information available on the Department of Health website (www.doh.gov.uk/mmr.htm).

 

 

Appointments for the Single Vaccine Programme can be made by contacting the Health Screening Department on 0121 440 8402.

 

 

The Cost

You will be asked to pay for each vaccination by cash or cheque when it is given.

 

Rubella - £100                          Measles - £100               Mumps  Not available

 

Prices correct as at May 2010

 

Vaccinations will be given at a medical centre in Edgbaston - The Karis Medical Centre, Waterworks Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B16 9AL (this is near Five Ways and just off the Hagley Road at Monument Road).

 

Informing your General Practitioner

 

The Department of Health places an obligation on General Practitioners to encourage children to be immunised. This involves submitting information about the immunisations that your child has been given. We will enter all the relevant details of the single vaccines in your “Red Book”. We would ask you to pass this information on to your G.P. when each course has been completed.

 

(This Vaccine service is not intended for those who are already registered with the Karis Medical Centre, Edgbaston for NHS medical care)

 

2)   Mumps Single Vaccine Supply Update

 

May 2010

 

Unfortunately the single mumps vaccine is not currently available in Britain.

 

The long standing and respected manufacturer MERCK USA, decided to temporarily suspend Mumpsvax production; they then said that production would recommence, but then announced in October 2009 that they had permanently ceased production.

 

The British Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have a statutory responsibility to monitor this situation.

 

The MHRA Report for Unlicensed Medicines, June 2009 stated:

 

Merck Mumpsvax is unavailable due to temporary suspension of manufacture.

Queries have been received concerning the acceptability of the Lenin-Zagreb strain of mumps virus and of the Czech product Pavivac. Currently, these products remain unacceptable and objections will be raised to import. There are concerns that the Lenin-Zagreb strain of mumps vaccine may be associated with aseptic meningitis and, as some studies suggest there could be some risk for the Lenin-Zagreb strain product, the MHRA wishes to remain cautious and continue to object to importation, particularly as the available Jeryl Lynn MMR vaccines do not carry this risk.

 

In November 2009 the MHRA considered another mumps vaccine -  the Sii single Mumps vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute in India. They stated:

Following recent interest in importation of this unlicensed vaccine, the evidence made available to the MHRA by prospective importers was assessed by an independent expert who recommended that the MHRA should continue to object to import of this strain of mumps vaccine on safety grounds. In view of the potential impact of shortages caused by non-availability of Merck Mumpsvax, in October 2009 the MHRA sought further advice from the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM). The CHM considered evidence and correspondence from prospective importers as well as the previous expert advice.  
The CHM advised that the MHRA should continue to object to importation of  L-Zagreb strain mumps vaccines on safety grounds.

 

The MHRA has subsequently assessed the production facilities in the Serum Institute in India and was favourably impressed. They have also suggested that further trials might be done on this vaccine and that a full Marketing Authorisation application could be made. (You may wish to note that the L-Zagreb strain mumps vaccine strain has passed World Health Organisation safety standards for use in a combined MMR vaccine - Tresivac).

 

It is also theoretically possible that another manufacturer might produce the Jeryl Lynn mumps strain which formed the vaccine Mumpsvax made previously by Merck.

 

It therefore remains a possibility that a single mumps vaccine will be again be available in Britain at some point in the future, but no definite time scale can be given regarding this.

 

3)   Remember the risk of Measles Infection

 

 

Due to the fall in the uptake of vaccination against measles (which remains below the levels required to reach “herd immunity”) the possibility of becoming seriously ill with measles remains a real risk (there were over 1100 notified cases of measles in England and Wales in 2009).

 

Single vaccination against measles remains a reliable option for protection against measles for those families who do not wish to have the combined MMR vaccine.

 

4)   Right to Single Vaccine:

  Petition the Government

 

There is currently a formal petition process that allows you to express your views on single vaccines to the Prime Minister. If you wish to use this facility you can do so by October 30th 2010 on the weblink:

 

 

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Single-vaccines/