Cash fury over jab experts

From the Sunday Mail, December 23rd 2001 - by Lucy Johnston and Geoff Marsh

Parents of autistic children reacted furiously last night as it emerged that some of the experts who persuaded the Government that the MMR vaccine is safe are paid by the drug companies that make it.

A leading parents' group claimed there was "clearly a potential conflict of interest" and that the experts should not have been allowed to advise the government.

The specialists gave evidence to the Medical Research Council, which was asked by the Department of Health in March to establish if there was a link between child autism and the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.

The MRC found there was no risk, backing repeated Government claims that the vaccine is safe. But the parents, who have launched legal action against drug firms Aventis Pasteur, Merck and Co and Glaxo SmithKline, are furious.

Jackie Fletcher, who represents parents' group Jabs, said: "Either they are independent experts or they are acting for the manufacturers. They cannot do both."

The experts properly disclosed their interests and there is no suggestion that any of the evidence they gave was actually biased.

One of those involved, Professor Eric Fombonne, is a consultant for Aventis Pasteur in its legal fight against autistic children's families. Also involved were Professor Bert Rima, from Queen's University, Belfast, who is working for Merck and Co, and Professor Ian Sanderson, from Queen Mary's University of London, who is carrying out work for Aventis Pasteur.

Professor Sir Michael Rutter, who is being paid to provide reports to help Glaxo SmithKline, was one of the seven "external expert advisers" who helped guide the course of the MMR enquiry. He insisted he had not been influenced by his connection with the company. He said: "When there are major issues of this kind to analyse it involves people in the field and inevitably there will be conflicts of interest. It is only unacceptable if these are kept secret."

Earlier this month it was revealed that Professor Eve Johnstone, chairwoman of the group reviewing the MMR vaccine, owns shares worth £10,000 in Glaxo SmithKline. A spokeswoman for the MRC said: "Any declarations were made openly at the beginning of our review and it wasn't judged that any of the experts had a conflict of interest."

© Lucy Johnston and Geoff Marsh

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