The government has announced details of a new 5-in-1 vaccine for babies. The jab will protect children against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, Hib and polio.
Health officials claim that the new injection is safer than the current four-in-one jab as it will not contain mercury as a preservative.
However, health campaigners are concerned that there could be a repeat of the MMR controversy unless more safety assurances are given.
What do think of the government's proposals? Would you be happy for your child to receive the new vaccine?
This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.
The following comments reflect the balance of opinion we have received so far:
 | SUGGEST A DEBATE This topic was suggested by Donna Chisholm, Staffs, UK:  Is the new 5-in-1 vaccine really safe for young babies? Would you allow you child to be given it?  |
My mother took the decision not to vaccinate me as a child she knew at the time had suffered severe side effects from the single measles vaccination (the only vaccination available at that time). As a result, I contracted the measles and nearly died. The long term effects of this horrific disease are still with me today. When it comes to vaccinating my child, there is no question that I will be providing full vaccination.
Jane, Bristol
I'm completely untrained in immunology and therefore I have to trust the experts who make these recommendations rather than be beset with paranoia about some mythical government/scientist/big business conspiracy. I find it difficult to understand how a flying tin with hundreds of gallons of flammable liquid on board can possibly be safe, but I trust aviation experts who tell me it is.
Greg Fearn, Fife, Scotland
People seem to think that saving the NHS money is a bad thing. Errr, why?
Suze, Epsom, Surrey
It's interesting, many of the parents who are up in arms would have been vaccinated and they seem to have turned out alright, having little ones of their own and whatnot. Vaccines haven't seemed to have done them any harm. There will always be exceptions, but that's no excuse to leave your child at risk, which in turn puts others at risk.
Matt, Chelmsford, UK
Personally, I'm half deaf as a result of a bad case of mumps when I was little. I think both my parents and myself, had we been given a choice between that and the possible (unproven) links between the MMR jab and autism, would have chosen the MMR jab every time. People forget that these 'childhood' illnesses can cause serious, permanent damage.
Caroline, Oxford, UK
| It is tragic to see the poorly informed responses to this debate |
It is tragic to see the poorly informed responses to this debate. Vaccines are generally very, very safe; and in all cases are far safer than the diseases which they prevent. Also, all vaccines have a very small possibility of side effects, which can be very severe, though which are very rare. People don't seem to understand just how rare they are and get very worked up about risks which are tiny in proportion to those that they take every day. Their children are far more likely to die or be hurt in an accident in the home or on the road.
Alex, Edinburgh, UK Yet another vaccine seems to being foisted on us with lack of clear information. I am not reassured by the fact that although one American study suggested a link between autism & mercury in vaccines, other studies did not prove this - as we don't know who commissioned the research which seemingly cleared the mercury link - it could have been the pharmaceutical company responsible for the vaccine in question. To bombard a two month old with 5 (and to come 6) diseases in one vaccine seems far to much, yet we aren't allowed to have them separately because of cost.
Yvonne, Brighton, UK
I think many people need to read the BBC's helpful Q&A on this matter. Judging from many comments, many parents don't know the facts and need to read up first.
Tony, UK
My son had a previous version of the HIB et al jab three years ago and reacted quite badly to it - his leg became very red, painful and swollen and he was very feverish. Heaven knows how he would have reacted to a 5-in-1 jab. Needless to say neither he nor his sister have had the MMR. Remember that governments and the medical profession declared Thalidomide, BSE and others to be safe.
JR, Wigan, England
Mercury is a deadly poison, regardless of any current ideas about safe limits. If it was alright why is it no longer to be used? Why should we have any faith in the words of those who have allowed poisonous materials to be introduced into our babies for so long?
Charles Stonehouse, Wolverhampton It seems to have become accepted fact that it is possible to "over-load" a child's immune system, without any knowledge as to its normal "load", which I suspect is much higher than 3 or 5 diseases.
Matthew Seaburne-May, London
To Lyndon Rosser: The current 4 in 1 jab contains mercury, which is responsible for various side effects in babies. The new 5 in 1 is mercury free, which makes all the difference. Speak for yourself when you say "essential public health measures should not be left to the whims of the ill-informed".
Gil Eliav, London, UK
I think parents should have the choice as to whether they protect their children or not. If they choose not to, they should be liable for damages for any effect on others through their negligence. If parents don't want what the Government is offering, they should be made to pay for any alternative.
David, Cornwall, UK
| People need facts and choices not meaningless spin |
I find it utterly unbelievable that the govt and the health 'professionals' have got themselves into the same mess with this as the MMR. The good old Stalinist approach that 'we are always right so trust us' clearly just does not work. People need facts and choices not meaningless spin. I don't care if '99% of doctors' believe it is safe - that is not evidence. If these vaccines are safe let's hear about how they were tested and what the results were.
Matthew, London, UK There was only ever one study which linked the MMR jab to autism, and it's results have not been reproduced. Also, that study and its author have now been widely discredited. This seems to be merely a symptom of a wider public mistrust of science and scientists. There is however a very well proven link between childhood diseases and death and disablement.
Chris, Cambridge, UK
In Scotland we have been able to choose a whooping cough vaccine which does not contain mercury - called Infanrix. Parents were not generally encouraged to choose it, and in fact were not actively offered a choice but were able to request the mercury free vaccine if they were aware of its existence. It has also been possible to opt for a "dead" version of the polio vaccine. This new 5 in 1 vaccine would appear to lessen choice in Scotland - presumably we will have the choice of this new combined vaccine or none at all - as currently with MMR.
Sarah, Edinburgh
The medical profession in the UK works incredibly hard to keep us healthy: doctors would not be moving over to a new vaccine if they did not think it was an improvement. I'm sure that the children in Darfur would like to have the opportunity to have the vaccinations offered routinely to all the children in the UK. Both my children had the old vaccine and I would be equally happy for them to have the new one. This is one case where the experts really do know best.
Jane Wilson, Cambridge, UK As a mother of an Autistic son I cannot understand why the government would do this? The amount of Parents not wanting the MMR has increased due to the publicity it has had linked to Autism and now they want to introduce a 5 in one vaccine. This is putting little babies at risk as parents are worried and confused? If I had another baby I would not let he/she have this. Why would you risk it? Autism is such a hard condition to live with, it effects the whole family. And there is no injection that can make it better.
Emma, Bournemouth England
Are the armchair immunologists on this forum aware that babies already receive these five immunisations all at once, just in two separate injections and one oral dose? How can giving them in one injection make any difference? Frankly the stupefying level of scientific ignorance displayed by many of your correspondents demonstrates clearly why essential public health measures should not be left to the whims of the ill-informed.
Lyndon Rosser, Wales/Cymru
It's good to see that worried parents, armed with nothing more than speculation and second hand rumours, are making decisions on the specialist subject of the human immune system. The government has failed to provide reliable, unbiased information, and as a result children's health is being risked on such ridiculous suspicions as "surely it can't be good for them". The idea that a parent should have a choice in these matters is ridiculous when they are in no position to make anything resembling a balanced decision.
Matt, Amsterdam, Netherlands (ex UK) This may be oversimplifying, but the infant mortality rates for these diseases are much lower in nations with comprehensive vaccination plans. Your child may be well equipped to fight these diseases sans vaccination; but you don't just vaccinate to protect your child, you vaccinate to protect your brother's or your sister's, you do this to protect your child's friends and classmates. You vaccinate your children because, despite the heartbreaking loss of one child in a million or so, it is infinitely preferable to the devastating outbreaks of years past.
Philip, Ottawa, Canada
Simple solution, offer parental choice. You can have the first injection free (either the 5 in 1, or a single disease immunisation) the rest are paid for. There's no reason why we should blindly trust scientists, but nor should we unjustifiably distrust them. The hysteria that the media cooks-up around this subject is pathetic - like there isn't any other news in the world. Perhaps it's because infant mortality is so low these days that people forget that many of these diseases are killers.
Kevin, Liverpool, UK
Ask any doctor if they immunise their kids, you will find 99% will say YES. The biggest test was for me, my health visitor. She had all of hers done .
C.B, Lancaster
I have no idea whether the 5-in-1 vaccine is safer or not, but I am sceptical of the government telling us that it is without lots of independent evidence. I have personally not forgotten the sight of John Gummer trying to feed beef burger to his daughter (the child refused it incidentally) in support of his statement that there is no risk of BSE from eating beef. Until governments start to be more honest about their mistakes and gaps in their knowledge they must be prepared to accept people not trusting them
Paul De St Paer, UK
Studies in Canada have shown no long term adverse effects. Most of the evidence is now in on the MMR and shows no link to autism. The reason for the 5 in 1 is that with separate vaccines there is a much higher rate of children not getting all the vaccines, hence putting them at risk of not being fully covered. As someone who was not given any childhood vaccinations in the 70's because of an unfounded health scare at the time (these diseases are no fun, I can tell you, and measles nearly caused my sister some serious damage), I say that parents should get on and do it. Read the information, not the hyped up tabloid headlines. The government needs to be less arrogant and prescriptive in its approach though.
Katherine, London, UK
I trusted the government advice that MMR is safe. We are now advised that the whooping cough vaccine contained mercury, a substance known to be very toxic to the human body. How can we trust the government any more? If I had known about the mercury, then I would never have the vaccine be used on my daughter.
Amit Shah, Stanmore, Middx, UK I think giving a young baby 5 vaccines in one is ridiculous - I have a four year old little boy and he had all his MMR vaccines separate. Parents should be given choice!
Amanda, Manchester
If it wasn't for some pretty dodgy research and the mass hysteria caused by the media, we would not be having this debate. We currently have 4in1 plus oral polio vaccine. So as far as I can make out, there is little difference. Should anyone really doubt the benefit of mass immunisation versus the risk of crippling and deadly diseases in vast numbers? How much longer do we have to the views of people like GM from Glasgow seriously? Get your child immunised for goodness sake, and stop acting so irresponsibly! What makes you think you are right and the 90% of us who are now protecting your children are wrong?
Iain, Edinburgh
Great! The government have given you all something else to argue about. If you are sceptical about the vaccine don't let you children have it, you are contributing to the time bomb where not immunising against these diseases will result in them returning and killing our children again.
Gareth Wilson, Worksop, UK I am surprised at the level of biochemistry and medical training the British public have. Lots of people are 100% sure that babies can't fight 5 diseases at once. Well babies bodies, like ours, are constantly under attack and the vaccines are actually just antigenic material and not living organisms, but hey a little science shouldn't get in the way of public hysteria and superstition.
Marcus, Scotland
As a biology researcher I know these things are safe. The 5 in 1 contains no live virus so there are no real dangerous infective agents to put your child at risk. All the hysterical parents who start to whimper & whine should perhaps actually go & read about immunology before they start complaining.
Tom, Bath UK
I requested that my daughter was given Infanrix the mercury free alternative to the 3 in 1 Tetanus, whooping cough and diphtheria injection that babies are given today. She was then given the polio and the hib separately. I myself suffered from mercury poisoning due to my amalgam fillings which totally disabled me for a number of years and there was no way I was going to allow mercury to be injected straight into my baby. The side effects of mercury poisoning are extremely unpleasant and dangerous and I think it's about time that this poison was eliminated from childhood vaccinations. In fact there is no room for mercury in modern medicine or dentistry. However I can't help but feel slightly dubious about the governments good intentions. I think a combined 5 in 1 jab is a little bit like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. It sounds like a total cocktail and if I had another child I would still go the same route as I did this time.
Naz Sadoughi, London England
| Please inform yourselves before endangering children other than your own |
I am a Nurse who has worked with adults and children who have learning disabilities for 22 years. I have cared for more people who have been seriously irreparably damaged by the effects of measles, chicken pox and rubella than I have cared for individuals damaged by vaccine. I have a son and willingly had him vaccinated against anything which could be anticipated as precipitating encephalitis. However, he turned out to be allergic to the whooping cough vaccine, and was unable to complete the course. Any parent who knowingly and without evidence withholds this type of protection from their children, places mine at additional risk. This is not a live vaccine. Please inform yourselves before endangering children other than your own.
Helen, UK Good news; this introduces the new 'acellular' whooping cough jab; its been around for years in the US and rest of Europe, safer...but too expensive until now. bad news; to get it , you have to use a 5-in 1 vaccine..why, because its cheaper. The only thing the government is interested in is saving money, seeing damaged children as an unfortunate statistic. The moral? when the Chief Medical Officer says something is safe, RUN.
Mike Regan, Newbury, England
It isn't just the fact that you are putting five foreign substances at once into a baby, but the fact that it's a cumulative effect. Yes, of course, many children did die of childhood diseases in the past. But nowadays, a new baby has so many more toxic substances to deal with, from those around in the air, with diesel fumes to chemicals from factories, to those that are added to our food and water; even down to the washing-up liquid that accumulates on our plates, and is ingested during the next meal by everyone. So it really doesn't seem sensible to put an even more heavy burden on a young immune system all in one go. What is wrong with single jabs spaced out?
Jane, UK
I think this is a great idea put forward by our most trusted leaders. I will be happy for my child to be second in the queue behind Leo Blair.
Pete, Milton Keynes, England
| What is to stop these diseases combining and mutating into something very nasty? |
As has already been pointed out these are effectively 5 samples of 5 different diseases. What proof and safeguards are there against the possibility of mutation? If you can get a superbug resistant to penicillin etc what is to stop these diseases combining and mutating into something very nasty?
Iain, Edinburgh We have a small baby who has just had her first injections; we are concerned both ways and caught in the middle. Another example of poor communication on a serious topic that will run for many months.
Simon W, UK
Parents don't want to leave their children unprotected. But we do want to be sure that what we are subjecting our children to is safe. I opted for the single jabs, and was happy to pay for the peace of mind of knowing if there was less likely to be a problem with the injection. How much do single jabs costs, in relation to the cost to the NHS of treating a child that is then "damaged"?
Lisa Dormon, Bracknell
I am sick of people demanding choice. We are not qualified to make such decisions and our ignorance puts the nation at risk of an epidemic. Doctors trust their children with the jabs, and so do I.
Julie, UK
Look at the comments. The supporters of the 5-in-1 are pointing to hard evidence from its use in other countries and the fact that these vaccines are now dead, rather than live, versions. Compare with those against it who have an unsubstantiated fear something could go wrong, point to autism concerns which have been widely refuted, and worry about suffering from 5 diseases at once. Guess I know which is the 'Smart' side of the argument. I'm a father-to-be, and will be perfectly happy for my child to have the 5-in-1, as I'd rather take the miniscule risk of an adverse effect than the far greater risk of the full version of one of these diseases.
David, London, England
I think parents should have the choice of single vaccines, if only to make them feel better. I don't honestly think it makes any health difference (how many parents forked out for single MMR-type jabs because they 'presumed' they were safer, when in reality each of those jabs has carried its own separate, minute risks?). Life, from day one, is, sadly, full of risks, but it is surely better for all us parents to make a rational decision based on the real risks of disease than by trawling the internet for biased information and hiding behind the 'mother knows best' clich�s?
Claire Beecroft, Sheffield Blimey, where did all these medical experts come from?
TR
People seem to be missing the point here. We are already vaccinating our children with 5 vaccines at once. The only difference is the polio is currently given in its live form as drops. The 5-in-1 will introduce the polio as inactivated protection. What does this mean? Simply put, we are currently giving our babies the polio virus! Every year 12 babies die from the live polio vaccine. It's been banned in the States for years. My own son died from it. If this vaccine had been around then he would still be alive today. Forget the scaremongering and look to the facts.
CF, Herts
I am an expectant first time mother and a GP. My child will be fully vaccinated, MMR, DTP, polio, Hib, Men C - the lot. We GPs are not just mindless government servants, I have read the research articles - a lot of them in their original format and the scientific evidence linking any vaccines to autism is virtually non-existent, whilst the independent research backing their safety is vast. I wouldn't give anything to my daughter if I wasn't 100% sure of its safety and I am. What concerns me is that when I send my 6 month old to nursery she might catch measles from unvaccinated children of selfish, irresponsible parents. Measles nearly killed my baby brother in the 70s, people need to get their priorities right.
Caroline Jenner, London
Aren't we fortunate to be living at a time and in a society where we can afford to debate so long about the very, very tiny risks associated with the protection against serious disease offered by these vaccines. Within living memory, these diseases killed or crippled thousands of children every year. That this is no longer the case is thanks to the thorough programme of vaccination available to all over the last 60 years. This particular 5-in-1 version is in wide use elsewhere in the world with no problems. Get real, people! Protect your children!
J. Bowen, Chelmsford, UK Why was this vaccine produced? Is it to save money in the NHS (by the government) by combining 5 visits into 1? I would still not trust the safety of this vaccine. There are still problems with the 3 in 1. There is no proof either way on how safe any of these combinations are.
Nick, Bournemouth
A vaccine consists of a small quantity of the disease, which the body learns to recognise and fight. Sometimes people get a very reduced form of the disease following a vaccination. This is why I think giving someone five jabs/diseases all at once is a little worrying. Also, any adverse reactions would be hard to identify properly, as you couldn't tell whether the reaction came from one jab, three jabs or two or more acting together.
Sarah, Reading, UK
Why does this government not give the parents the choice when it comes to vaccinating children? I am not convinced these multiple vaccines are safe and if I am uneasy about anything, I don't go for it. So my 2 year old has had all his baby single jabs but not MMR... and if I have any more babies I will most definitely not let that go into my baby's system. Tony Blair and co, a responsible mum knows what is best for her baby...and it is not always so that government and experts are right in their thinking. How many so-called expert docs get so many things wrong in their conclusions on children's health? Too many for me to trust they know better than a mother.
G M, Glasgow
Our son has just received the vaccines. Our GP was adamant that MMR was the best form of immunisation. At the end of the day you have to put your trust in somebody and I would rather trust a qualified doctor working for one of the largest organisations in the world. I just hope for my son's sake that I have made the right choice.
David, Farnborough
| Protect your children from the real dangers of childhood ailments |
I don't have any children myself, but I am a biological sciences graduate. I seem to remember that the immune system deals with many potential threats every day, from a small surface scratch to slightly dodgy food. It's true that babies' immune systems are not as well developed as adults' systems, but they are perfectly capable of handling more than one infective agent at a time. The vaccines may well be live, but are attenuated so that they no longer have an infective potential. Parents should consider the welfare of their children - there is a greater risk of a child getting whooping cough than a possible, unproved fear of autism. Protect your children from the real dangers of childhood ailments and not a minute, perceived risk of autism.
Vicky, York, UK The MMR fiasco did not stir any opinions in me last year but now as a mother-to-be I would be very wary of allowing my child to receive 5 vaccines in one injection. We need more choice not dictatorship by the government.
Angela, Sunderland, UK
More hysteria whipped up to scare parents! My daughter was born in China last year and was given the 5 in 1. The vaccines are not live vaccines and are safer than the current practice in the UK. Until the 5 in 1 is introduced here you are giving your child a live polio vaccine. MMR, now 5 in 1, why is it we are the only country in the world to get so hysterical about medicines researched and used safely for years abroad? Parents need to be educated not scared.
James Cooper, London
Offering the option of different types of vaccine for babies is another way to encourage parents to take it up. But it should still be a choice. All the research proving that vaccinations are safe is financed by the drug companies, so parents are wise to do their own research via the internet and make their own decisions. It is simple logic not to mess up a perfectly designed immune system.
J. Harland, Kingston, Surrey We are shortly due our first child. I'm afraid I don't trust this government with our precious baby. They have not told the truth regarding so many important issues. Why should I entrust the health of my child to them? Aside from this, do we really need to overload such a young immune system with 5 diseases all at one? Doesn't make sense to me.
Nick, UK
It took my baby daughter several days to recover from the current 4-in-1 jab, so what's a 5-in1 jab going to do to future babies?? I would like alternatives to be made available.
Celia, London, UK
As an adult I wouldn't have a 5-in-1 vaccine. Putting this into a baby is beyond belief!
Lynn, UK
Have the government learned nothing about PR from the MMR fiasco? Do they deliberately want to alienate parents? They are so arrogant they aren't even bothering with spin! It's just "this is what we're giving you, take it or leave it". The worrying thing is a well-known, trusted doctor was on TV this morning saying the 5-in-1 jab "should be" safer than existing alternatives. Sorry, but "should be" just isn't good enough.
Ray Gray, London, England
The new vaccine works in Canada. Parents of autistic children are understandably desperate to explain their situation, but the current unsupported hysteria over vaccinations doesn't help anyone. I think parents should be given the option to take the NHS vaccine, or to research and pay privately for any alternative they consider safer. However, child benefit should be withheld for any child which hasn't had a full set of vaccinations (combined or otherwise), because they are a risk to the health of the children around them.
Kevin, York
I'd like to reply to the points raised by Kevin. Unless you are the parent of an autistic child (I am) you have no right to use words like 'desperate' or 'hysteria'. And as for withholding child benefit, get a life. If it's based on a harm to others philosophy, then smokers and car drivers shouldn't receive any state benefit either.
Philip, London
| Parents should be given the choice of how they wish their child to be vaccinated |
I would not be happy about letting my baby be given this injection. Babies' immune systems are most fragile when they are young and cannot possibly deal with five diseases all at the same time. There will some who will not benefit from this. Parents should be given the choice of how they wish their child to be vaccinated. At the end of the day, surely it is in the interest of everybody that children are fully vaccinated, so give the parents more control over how that is done.
Kiltie, Staffs, UK Has any research shown that bombarding a baby's immune system with 5, or even 3, vaccines is safe? While the MMR/autism link has never been proven, as somebody whose first baby is born next month I am worried about these all-in-one jabs. But what choice do we have?
Will Duffay, Welling, Kent
I cannot see why this should be foisted onto the general public. If people are given a choice then objections will not be so volatile. How much research has been done into any possible long term effects and the effectiveness of these vaccines compared to single jabs. Yes it may be cheaper in doctors' time and ultimately the government's pocket but is it the right thing to do? Only time will tell and until then people should be given a choice.
Antony, Bucks
I think the government should publish the results of safety and efficacy tests on the new vaccine before introducing it in the UK. This will help to reassure parents that the benefits outweigh the risks and enable us to make informed decisions.
Liz, Brighton
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