MMR Vaccine – Essential Information for Parents.
Non-urgent advice: Key Information
– Getting both doses of the MMR vaccine gives 99% efficacy against Measles and Rubella and 88% efficacy against Mumps
– Only 2 doses are required – one at the age of 1 and the other at the age of 3
– Measles cases are increasing, making vaccination more crucial than ever
NOTE: from January 2026 the MMR vaccine will be combined with the Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, to become the MMRV vaccine
– Only 2 doses are required – one at the age of 1 and the other at the age of 3
– Measles cases are increasing, making vaccination more crucial than ever
NOTE: from January 2026 the MMR vaccine will be combined with the Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, to become the MMRV vaccine
Non-urgent advice: Complications of Measles, Mumps and Rubella
Before vaccines, measles, mumps, and rubella were common, especially in children. While many survived without lasting effects, others suffered serious complications, and some children died.
Measles Complications: death, encephalitis – which can lead to PERMANENT BRAIN DAMAGE, and pneumonia. In 2023, 107,500 people, mainly children under five, died globally from measles.
Mumps Complications: death, meningitis and encephalitis – which can lead to PERMANENT BRAIN DAMAGE.
Rubella Complications: can be very harmful for pregnant women, potentially causing miscarriage or severe abnormalities in the unborn baby.
Measles Complications: death, encephalitis – which can lead to PERMANENT BRAIN DAMAGE, and pneumonia. In 2023, 107,500 people, mainly children under five, died globally from measles.
Mumps Complications: death, meningitis and encephalitis – which can lead to PERMANENT BRAIN DAMAGE.
Rubella Complications: can be very harmful for pregnant women, potentially causing miscarriage or severe abnormalities in the unborn baby.
Non-urgent advice: Myths about the MMR Vaccine and Autism
27 large-scale studies (linked below), involving numerous children, have definitively proven that Andrew Wakefield’s claim linking the MMR vaccine to autism is irrefutably wrong.
Autism is a condition that occurs in the foetal stage of development, therefore once the child is born no external factors, such as vaccines, can cause the development of autism.
This also applies to other similar conditions such as Down’s syndrome that also only occur in the foetal stage of development and are not triggered by vaccines.
https://www.immunize.org/wp-content/uploads/catg.d/p4026.pdf
Autism is a condition that occurs in the foetal stage of development, therefore once the child is born no external factors, such as vaccines, can cause the development of autism.
This also applies to other similar conditions such as Down’s syndrome that also only occur in the foetal stage of development and are not triggered by vaccines.
https://www.immunize.org/wp-content/uploads/catg.d/p4026.pdf
Non-urgent advice: Measles on the Rise
– Across the year of 2024, there was the highest number of annual measles cases since the year of 2012.
– This shows that measles cases are rising nationwide so it is even more important to get your child immunised to decrease the chances of them contracting measles.
– Another worrying statistic is that as of 23rd October 2025, 51% of cases have occurred in London, making the capital somewhat of a measles ‘hotspot’.
– This shows that measles cases are rising nationwide so it is even more important to get your child immunised to decrease the chances of them contracting measles.
– Another worrying statistic is that as of 23rd October 2025, 51% of cases have occurred in London, making the capital somewhat of a measles ‘hotspot’.
Non-urgent advice: Side-effects of the MMR Vaccine
Introduced in 1988, the MMR vaccine has gone through rigorous testing and regulatory processes that can take over a decade to ensure it is effective and safe.
Like every single medication, vaccines can cause side effects, but this does not mean everyone will experience them.
– In 1 in 10 cases, the vaccine could cause redness/swelling/pain at the side of injection and a fever
– In 1 in 100 cases, the vaccine could cause swollen glands and other uncommon side-effects
– Severe allergic reactions are rare
Like every single medication, vaccines can cause side effects, but this does not mean everyone will experience them.
– In 1 in 10 cases, the vaccine could cause redness/swelling/pain at the side of injection and a fever
– In 1 in 100 cases, the vaccine could cause swollen glands and other uncommon side-effects
– Severe allergic reactions are rare
Non-urgent advice: Ingredients of the MMR Vaccine
In addition to the active ingredients (the antigens for measles, mumps, and rubella), both MMR vaccines may contain small amounts of the following:
– Sorbitol / Mannitol: used as stabilizers
– Polysorbate 80: used as an emulsifier
At our surgery, we offer two types of vaccines:
– One contains highly purified gelatine derived from pigs, used as a stabilizer.
– The other is a non-gelatine option for those who prefer it.
Small traces of various other ingredients may also be present in both options. If you’d like more information about the specific ingredients in a particular vaccine, please don’t hesitate to ask a member of our team.
– Sorbitol / Mannitol: used as stabilizers
– Polysorbate 80: used as an emulsifier
At our surgery, we offer two types of vaccines:
– One contains highly purified gelatine derived from pigs, used as a stabilizer.
– The other is a non-gelatine option for those who prefer it.
Small traces of various other ingredients may also be present in both options. If you’d like more information about the specific ingredients in a particular vaccine, please don’t hesitate to ask a member of our team.
Non-urgent advice: Personal Anecdotes
Here are some personal stories from parents and individuals affected by measles, rubella, and the MMR vaccine:
1) Saskia’s Story (http://youtube.com/watch?v=u_bBymL-pRM) – A mother shares the struggles her daughter faced after contracting measles, and how thankful she was that her son had been vaccinated.
2) A Life Changed by Measles (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2AWjToUJs8) – Sarah Clow’s story highlights the irreversible damage measles can cause in children, such as deafness, partial sight, and learning difficulties. The impact is not only felt by the child but the entire family.
3) Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB8kGwKZiq0) – SSPE is a rare but devastating complication of measles that leads to progressive destruction of the central nervous system. This video features Sarah Walton’s difficult life story. She initially didn’t vaccinate her daughter due to concerns about allergic reactions, but now says that if she had known about SSPE, she wouldn’t have hesitated. She encourages other parents to vaccinate their children, prioritizing the prevention of SSPE over the risk of an allergic reaction.
1) Saskia’s Story (http://youtube.com/watch?v=u_bBymL-pRM) – A mother shares the struggles her daughter faced after contracting measles, and how thankful she was that her son had been vaccinated.
2) A Life Changed by Measles (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2AWjToUJs8) – Sarah Clow’s story highlights the irreversible damage measles can cause in children, such as deafness, partial sight, and learning difficulties. The impact is not only felt by the child but the entire family.
3) Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB8kGwKZiq0) – SSPE is a rare but devastating complication of measles that leads to progressive destruction of the central nervous system. This video features Sarah Walton’s difficult life story. She initially didn’t vaccinate her daughter due to concerns about allergic reactions, but now says that if she had known about SSPE, she wouldn’t have hesitated. She encourages other parents to vaccinate their children, prioritizing the prevention of SSPE over the risk of an allergic reaction.