The Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTP)
Vaccine Controversy
Anti-vaccination positions and vaccination controversies
are not limited to the past. In the mid 1970s, an
international controversy over the safety of the DTP immunization
erupted in Europe, Asia, Australia, and North
America. In the United Kingdom (UK), opposition resulted
in response to a report from the Great Ormond Street
Hospital for Sick Children in London, alleging that 36
children suffered neurological conditions following DTP
immunization. Television documentaries and newspaper
reports drew public attention to the controversy. An advocacy
group, The Association of Parents of Vaccine Damaged
Children (APVDC), also piqued public interest in the
potential risks and consequences of DTP.
In response to decreased vaccination rates and three
major epidemics of whooping cough (pertussis), the Joint
Commission on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI), an
independent expert advisory committee in the UK, con-
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lic confusion continued, in part because of diverse opinions
within the medical profession. For example, surveys
of medical providers in the UK in the late 1970s found
that they were reluctant to recommend the immunization
to all patients. Additionally, an outspoken physician and
vaccine opponent, Gordon Stewart, published a series of
case reports linking neurological disorders to DTP, sparking
additional debate. In response, the JCVI launched the
National Childhood Encephalopathy Study (NCES). The
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pitalized in the UK for neurological illness, and assessed
whether or not the immunization was associated with increased
risk. NCES results indicated that the risk was very
low, and this data lent support to a national pro-immunization
campaign. Members of the APVDC continued to
argue in court for recognition and compensation, but were
denied both due to the lack of evidence linking the DTP
immunization with harm.
The U.S. controversy began with media attention on
the alleged risks of DTP. A 1982 documentary, DPT: Vaccination
Roulette, described alleged adverse reactions to
a 1991 book titled A Shot in the Dark outlined potential
risks. As in the UK, concerned and angry parents formed
victim advocacy groups, but the counter response from
medical organizations, like the Academy of Pediatrics
and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was
stronger in the United States. Although the media storm
instigated several lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers,
increased vaccine prices, and caused some companies to
stop making DTP, the overall controversy affected immunization
rates less than in the UK.
The Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR)
Vaccine Controversy
Nearly 25 years after the DTP controversy, England
was again the site of anti-vaccination activity, this time regarding
the MMR vaccine.
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mended further investigation of a possible relationship
between bowel disease, autism, and the MMR vaccine.
not properly tested before being put into use. The media
seized these stories, igniting public fear and confusion
over the safety of the vaccine. The Lancet, the journal that
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