£90,000 MMR payout is 'milestone'

03/09/2010

A couple whose son suffered severe brain damage after being given the MMR vaccine have been awarded £90,000 compensation – a payout which has been heralded a “milestone” by a campaigner.

The payment may set a precedent for other parents who suspect their child has been affected by the vaccine to have their cases looked into, Polly Tommey said. Her son Billy was left autistic after having the combined measles, mumps and rubella jab.

After concluding their son was left severely disabled by the MMR vaccine, Jackie and John Fletcher from Warrington, Cheshire, were awarded the payout by a medical assessment panel.

Robert, now 18, has frequent epileptic fits, is unable to talk, stand unaided or feed himself, but is not autistic.

The family successfully appealed after their application for compensation under the Government’s Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme was originally turned down in 1997.

Mrs Tommey, from Hampton, Middlesex, labelled the ruling a “milestone”.

The mother-of-four, who edits the magazine The Autism File, said: "This is a huge step forward. It is the first time in this country it’s been acknowledged that the MMR vaccine is not 100% safe.

“If parents say the vaccine is not safe, there should be proper independent research carried out.

“MMR and autism was a completely taboo subject in the past – not now because of what has happened.”

Original Article: Legal and Medical