HEALTH chiefs are warning of a huge measles epidemic if parents continue to refuse to have their children vaccinated with the controversial triple MMR jab.

Doctors have warned that unless young children are immunised against measles, mumps and rubella with the triple jab the prospect of a deadly measles epidemic could be imminent.

But publicity surrounding a possible link between the MMR jab and autism and bowel disease has prevented many parents from having their children immunised.

Jackie Fletcher from Golborne-based vaccination awareness group JABS has hit back at the latest claims and says: "If an epidemic is expected by health chiefs it is imperative that they act now and introduce the single vaccine so there is a greater opportunity for choice.

"The situation is of their making because they won't allow any middle ground here and are saying that if you refuse to have the triple jab then you will have to deal with the consequences and that is very wrong."

Jackie's own child, Robert, now aged 11, became epileptic and suffered inflammation of the brain soon after receiving the MMR jab. It was this that inspired her to set up JABS nine years ago.

She added: "The single measles vaccine has been used far longer than the triple jab and was first introduced in 1967. At the moment parents must pay for the single jab because it isn't available on the NHS and must be ordered through a licensed importer. If health chiefs acted now it could be available from the NHS and GPs surgeries, solving the problem of the suspected epidemic they claim to be so afraid of.

"The company that produces the MMR jab also makes the single jab but the licence for it was allowed to lapse in 1998. The Department of Health just needs to place an order for it. It's a small technicality that could be solved overnight.

"The buck has to stop with the health minister whose responsibility it is to look after the nation's health. Instead they are denying people the right to make a choice."