INCREASING numbers of parents in North Yorkshire are rejecting the controversial triple vaccine MMR - as cases of measles increase in other parts of the country.

The take-up rate for the vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella, is 86.3 per cent in North Yorkshire according to the most recent figures available - almost ten per cent below the Government target of 95 per cent.

It is the lowest rate in recent times and specialists in the county are concerned about the trend. Only two years ago, the take-up rate in North Yorkshire was 90 per cent.

The decline has been blamed on recent publicity about possible links between MMR and autism and bowel disease.

Efforts are now being made to reassure parents that the vaccine is safe by increasing the information available to concerned parents and encouraging people to discuss the issue with their GP or health visitor.

It is hoped to prevent outbreaks of measles that have been seen in London, being repeated in North Yorkshire.

Figures from the Public Health Laboratory Service show there were 126 cases of measles in England and Wales in the first three months of this year, compared with 32 in the last quarter of 2001. Of this year's cases, 91 were in London. The MMR take-up rate is as low as 73 per cent in parts of the capital.

There has been no confirmed case of the disease in North Yorkshire for several years.

Dr Ebere Okereke, consultant of communicable disease control in North Yorkshire, said steps were being taken to counteract the problem.

She said: "MMR take-up rates are falling, with the most recent rates showing that the number of children who had the single dose of MMR at two years was 86 per cent. That is closer to the national average, but is below the Government target of 95 per cent.

"We are fairly concerned and we are working to raise awareness of the issues around MMR with our health professionals because we believe GPs are the first person that people go to if they have anxieties about the vaccine.

"When we had the MMR scare a few years ago the take-up rate did drop, but, with information put into the public domain and work with GPs, it did increase again and started climbing back up.

"In the last year the uptake has again fallen, although it is not as slow as in London."

- The Department of Health continues to insist that MMR is the safest way to protect children and says there is no firm evidence of links to autism or bowel disease, despite calls from parents for a public inquiry into the issue.

Updated: 12:15 Thursday, July 04, 2002