Research suggests MMR vaccine/autism link

Updated: 12:53, Friday, 9 August 2002

New research from America suggests there is a strong link between the MMR vaccine and autism.

Scientists at Utah State University in Logan analysed blood samples from autistic children and normal children and found a significant increase in the level of MMR antibodies in the autistic children.

They believe that one of the measles' components of the vaccine had caused an unusual anti-measles response in the majority of children with autism.

More than 90% of the autistic samples, which showed an immune response to MMR, were also positive for antibodies thought to be involved in autism.

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