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Children's health

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Original poster

Single jabs - DON'T DO IT! There are no mumps vaccines left!!

55 replies

spicemonster · 17/04/2009 20:48

My dad was really keen that my DS have single jabs and wanted to pay for it so that's what I've done. But the clinic where he went to last summer ran out of Mumps vaccine and said they'd get some early this year. And now they say the manufacturer (Merck) has stopped making them so they don't know what they're going to do.

They have refunded me my money for that vaccine but now it means that my DS isn't protected at all against mumps which I'm not happy about. And I don't really want to give him the MMR now because that means he'll get double doses of measles and rubella.

I rang another clinic and they said they'd get some 'soon' but couldn't say when. Now if my clinic are telling the truth (and I have no reason to believe they are not), then there are a hell of a lot of clinics who advertise online who don't mention that they can't get Mumps vaccines. So potentially a mumps outbreak

If you've managed to vaccinate your child against mumps recently, please let me know where you took them. And if you're thinking about it, please check very carefully with the clinic that they have all three components of the MMR in stock.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

OhYouBadBadKitten · 17/04/2009 20:49

Crumbs - if that turns out to be true across the country it could be a real problem.

thisisyesterday · 17/04/2009 20:51

there is more than one mumps vaccine, afaik Merck are not the only producer.

so I am sure alternatives will be sourced. clinics rely on this for income, if they can't offer single MMR (and I mean all 3 components) yheuy'll lose a LOT of money. so I am sure they'll come up with some in time.

CrushWithEyeliner · 17/04/2009 20:52

I will watch this thread - DD has only been jabbed for Measels so far and also got a letter through from baby jabs clinic saying the manufacturer had stopped producing Mumps. I am pissed off to say the least.

JollyPirate · 17/04/2009 20:55

As far as I know it's just not being produced for the UK. I am guessing that the single dose clinics will import their stocks. If your DS has already had Measles and Rubella then giving the MMR will be fine as his body has already got immunity to both those (90% of children become immune after just one MMR dose) so having the immunisations again won't harm - his immune system will just recognise that it is already immune to the measles and rubella components and won't start a big immune response to them.

You could wait though for a mumps vaccine to be come available. Others will be along to tell you more am sure. My DS had the MMR as I had heard that the mumps vaccine was difficult to obtain - as others here have managed single vaccines then am guessing it's coming from somewhere.

thisisyesterday · 17/04/2009 20:55

it might be useful to you to know that the NHS can provide single jabs too, which they do for children at risk of reacting badly to the MMR.

so, it might be worth asking your GP about it

MuffinBaker · 17/04/2009 20:56

FGS stop with the !!!!!!!!!!

Original poster

spicemonster · 17/04/2009 20:57

thisisyesterday - my clinic told me that at the moment, Merck have the only licence for producing single mumps vaccines. Like I said, I can't believe they would have told me that if it weren't true (and believe me, it wasn't that easy to get that information out of the woman - I was on the phone for about 10 minutes before she confessed). I can't imagine they want to tell people because this must be a huge source of income.

When they did my DS's measles and rubella last summer, they said (and I have to believe them really as I can't prove otherwise) that they were confident Merck were going to start production again. Now they are saying that Merck have said they are not. The woman from the clinic even suggested I petition Merck myself!

So for them or any other clinic to continue to offer single jabs is a bit fraudulent - my clinic does actually have a statement on their website but none of the others I looked at did.

OP posts:

Original poster

spicemonster · 17/04/2009 20:59

I am not usually a !!! MuffinBaker. I do think this is slightly more important that Gardeners' World though ...

OP posts:

MuffinBaker · 17/04/2009 21:00

Never said it isn't but with the !!!! makes it seem trivialised imo.

We are waiting for the mumps jab for our son too - haven't decided when he is having it yet - but don't feel the need to !!! and panic tbh.

Original poster

spicemonster · 17/04/2009 21:03

I am not panicking. I just don't want anyone else spending 300 odd quid on something that they're not actually going to get. If I end up having to give him the MMR I may as well have done that in the first place and saved the money

OP posts:

CoteDAzur · 17/04/2009 21:05

Assuming your DS is many years away from puberty, what exactly is your hurry?

MuffinBaker · 17/04/2009 21:06

but surely you had reason for chosing single jabs and that won't change because you can't get the mumps as single?

artichokes · 17/04/2009 21:06

At least it is mumps and not measels or rubella that will be delayed. Out of the three it is by far the one to fear least. We are waiting too but I am not that concerned. My clinic said they will find a foreign importer, they have to in order to survive, so it will be a delay not a "never going to happen" situation.

CoteDAzur · 17/04/2009 21:09

What does OP's DS have to fear from rubella? It's not like he might get pregnant soon.

It is such a mild disease that a lot of people don't even know they've had it. Like yours truly.

Sawyer64 · 17/04/2009 21:16

There already has been "Mump Outbreaks" amongst older School children and College/Uni students.

I believe the incidence of having Orchiditis(Inflammation of the Testicles)isn't that common.

So the "risks" associated with catching mumps are relatively small compared to Measles.

Its the Rubella Outbreaks that will be more worrying.The amount of "Rubella Terminations" will go up again.

thisisyesterday · 17/04/2009 21:19

yes, and that's because the MMR does not give lifelong protection.
it merely ups the age at which you're more likely to get it.
That is why it used to be given at 11. now it is given at 2 and 4 you are more likely to have lost your immunity by the time you're in your teens/early adulthood.

but they don't tell you that do they?

Original poster

spicemonster · 17/04/2009 21:20

Mumps can lead to meningitis. I chose single jabs but on the understanding that my DS would be innoculated all three, not just rubella and measles. artichokes, Merck is an American company. This is a global shortage, not limited to the UK.

I don't really want to have a row about singles vs MMR but I just thought that people should know in case they were considering doing it.

OP posts:

Sawyer64 · 17/04/2009 21:22

Most people seem to keep their immunity to Rubella,when you have your blood tests when you are pregnant,most people are immune,and don't need revaccination.

I only had the Rubella at 11,no MMR's,and I'm immune.

Biscuits4Cheese · 17/04/2009 21:23

Does it not strike anyone as rather odd that the manufacturer would suddenly cease producing this? I wonder why, it's a market that aint going anywhere, surely cant be a business/ financial decision. It's all so murky.

thisisyesterday · 17/04/2009 21:27

but Sawyer, that's because most people of childbearing age had the MMR at 11.
I did, and I am still immune to it now.

I forget the exact statistic now, but since they started doing it earlier the percentage of girls who are still immune when they reach 17/18 is much, much lower.

Sawyer64 · 17/04/2009 21:28

The Meningitis associated with Mumps,although "serious" is mild.

nancy75 · 17/04/2009 21:30

this may be hearsay, but a friend of mine owns a company that provides the single jabs, this shortage has been going on for sometime and i think (but could be wrong) that the govt has refused the licence for the mumps vacine in this country.

Sawyer64 · 17/04/2009 21:35

I expect that is true,as you say.It is still relatively uncommon though for women to need Revaccinating with MMR.

I've never needed to in 8 years of Practice Nursing.Surely if you were told that you weren't immune during your first pregnancy,you'd want to get revaccinated.

So who's doing them?

I'm sure I'm not unique,I'm 44yrs old so had my Rubella in 1976 (The Dark Ages)and had my first pregnancy at 31,so 20 years later.

Not disputing your facts,just "discussing" them

Sawyer64 · 17/04/2009 21:37

I understood none of the Single Vaccines were licenced in this country nancy,although that doesn't mean they aren't safe to use,plenty of drugs aren't licenced.

thisisyesterday · 17/04/2009 21:42

if you weren't immune to rubella now, you would be given another MMR. not a single.

and of course there are still a certain percentage of people who WILL gain enough immunity from a childhood dose and retain it for the rest of their life or at least long enough for it not to be a problem.

I do think that in the years to come we will start to see an increase in the amount of women who need re-vaccinating though

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