Measles vaccines - A review of adverse events

A great deal of controversy has recently been generated over the publicatio n of several articles implicating measles vaccine in the induction of Crohn 's disease and autism. The publication of this work has already had a negat ive impact on measles vaccine acceptance in the UK. These allegations are p articularly troubling because they arise in the context of increased use of measles vaccine as global control of measles nears and the international c ommunity considers strategies for a drive towards eradication. In 1994; the US Institute of Medicine reviewed the world literature and pub lished a comprehensive review of adverse events associated with measles-con taining vaccines. Reviewing the literature published between 1994 and the p resent day, reveals that there is considerable new data suggesting that mod ified gelatin rather than egg proteins is responsible for most episodes of anaphylaxis following measles vaccination. New work weakens the possible li nks between measles vaccine and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis and Gui llain-Barre syndrome, but strengthens the rare association of measles-conta ining vaccines with post infectious encephalomyelitis. The alleged associat ions between measles vaccination and Crohn's disease and autism are based u pon weak science and have largely been refuted by a large volume of stronge r work. A review of the data generated in the last 4 years amply demonstrates the c ontinued efforts of the scientific community to monitor and understand true measles vaccine-associated adverse events. The rapidity and clarity of thi s same community's debunking of the spurious associations with Crohn's dise ase and autism suggests that those charged with vaccination programmes have learned from past mistakes. During 30 years of worldwide use, measles vaccination has proven to be one of the safest and most successful health interventions in the history of ma nkind. It is not a 'perfect' vaccine, but the benefits of measles vaccinati on far outweigh the risks even in countries with low incidence of measles a nd high rates of measles vaccine coverage.