Measles/mumps/rubella vaccine (MMR): an audit of Leeds health professionals' knowledge of contraindications and intention to vaccinate assessed by postal questionnaire.

An audit of Leeds health professionals' knowledge of valid contraindications to measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine was undertaken by postal questionnaire, three months after its introduction. The health professional groups were health visitors, clinical medical officers, general practice trainers and general practice vocational trainees. The results indicate that some health professionals would give MMR vaccine to children when it was contraindicated (e.g. to a child receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy). However, a much greater problem was the number of health professionals stating that they would not vaccinate children with MMR vaccine in clinical situations where there were no valid contraindications to its use. Some health professionals were also applying contraindications to the use of pertussis vaccine to the use of MMR vaccine. The information contained in the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation handbook Immunisation against infectious disease on contraindications to MMR vaccine use is also reviewed. It is important that false contraindications are not used by health professionals to wrongly deny children the protection provided by MMR vaccine.