By Margaret McCartney

A very good, very interesting paper in PLOS Medicine examines the history of the MMR scare story and why many parents still don’t trust the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine - despite the evidence in it’s favour.

One of the problems the Public Library of Science article considers is the fact that media interviews are often set up to offer two opposing points of view. Except in this case, the opinions weren’t representative: a view held by a small minority only gets, in this format, 50% of the coverage.

Some have argued that the key to higher immunisation rates is a better public understanding of science. But while laudable, this is may be difficult to achieve. Science can be counter-intuative and difficult: when I am dealing with subjects I don’t know about, I want to feel I can trust the guide lending me support. 

Ultimately, often the most useful thing I can do is not to discuss a screed of internet files but instead to say that all my children have been fully immunised and I don’t know a doctors’ child that hasn’t been either.

May 26, 2009 2:08pm in Public Health | Comment