Concerns persist about MMR

Campaigners say this proves parents are very unhappy with the combined mumps, measles and rubella jab, the MMR.

Only the single rubella vaccine is currently licensed in the UK, others have to be imported.

Latest government figures show that in 2001, 11,818 measles doses were requested for import to doctors and clinics in the UK. By 2002 this had risen to 71,859, a rise of 500%.

Doses

In 2001 there were 17,800 doses of the single mumps vaccine requested, by 2002 this had risen to 39,089 - a rise of 120%.

The government stressed that, although the figures showed the number of doses requested, there were no figures to show whether these were actually imported, supplied or used.

And they said that the figures requested were likely to be higher than those used.

The Department of Health and the National Health Service does not adopt policies to put children at risk Dr David Salisbury

But Jonathan Harris, of the campaign groups Jabs, said the time had come for parents to be offered a viable alternative to the MMR.

"They are going to have to provide a choice for parents," he said.

"There is a whole surge of parents who do not want to be bullied into doing something they do not want to do."

Clinics

There are currently about 36 doctors and clinics across the UK offering the single jabs, at a cost ranging from �60-�150.

But Dr David Salisbury, government chief immunisation officer, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that parents taking the single vaccine route were risking their and other people's children.

He said the single vaccines were not licensed because the MMR was safer.

They are going to have to provide a choice for parents Jonathan Harris, of Jabs

"We do not provide them because the Department of Health and the National Health Service does not adopt policies to put children at risk.

"If you choose to vaccinate your child with single vaccines, you elect to put your child and actually other people's children at risk because you put gaps between the vaccines that are not necessary.

"You leave your child at unnecessary risk and you put other people's children at risk too."

And he said it was important that the figures for importing the vaccines were put into context.

Figures

"You have got to look at these figures that have been reported today in perspective and remember that eight to 10 children have the MMR on time.

"Nine out of ten children have had the MMR by the time they go to school."

He said that when there was concern about the whooping cough vaccine in the 1970's that only 30% of parents continued to vaccinate their children.

But he stressed that over 80% of parents still gave their child the MMR.

A spokesman for the Department of Health added: "We don't believe giving single vaccines is the right thing to do.