MMR vaccination and pervasive developmental disorders: a case-control study
Abstract
Background Concern that measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination might cause autism has led to a fall in vaccine coverage. We investigated whether MMR vaccination is associated with an increased risk of autism or other pervasive developmental disorders.Methods We did a matched case-control study using the UK General Practice Research Database. Cases were people born in 1973 or later who had first recorded diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorder while registered with a contributing general practice between 1987 and 2001. Controls were matched on age, sex, and general practice.Findings 1294 cases and 4469 controls were included. 1010 cases (78.1%) had MMR vaccination recorded before diagnosis, compared with 3671 controls (82.1%) before the age at which their matched case was diagnosed. After adjustment for age at joining the database, the odds ratio for association between MMR and pervasive developmental disorder was 0.86 (95% CI 0.68-1.09). Findings were similar when restricted to children with a diagnosis of autism, to those vaccinated with MMR before the third birthday, or to the period before media coverage of the hypothesis linking MMR with autism.Interpretation Our findings suggest that MMR vaccination is not associated with an increased risk of pervasive developmental disorders.
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Smeeth 2004 concluded that their study added to the evidence that MMR vaccination was not associated with an increased risk of PDDs.
“The authors concluded that their study added to the evidence that MMR vaccination was not associated with an increased risk of PDDs.”
From Vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella in children (2012) · cites this paper as Smeeth 2004
In Smeeth 2004, the findings were similar when analysis was restricted to children with a diagnosis of autism only, to MMR vaccination before their third birthday, or to the period prior to media coverage of the hypothesis linking MMR vaccination with autism.
“The findings were similar when analysis was restricted to children with a diagnosis of autism only, to MMR vaccination before their third birthday, or to the period prior to media coverage of the hypothesis linking MMR vaccination with autism.”
From Vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella in children (2012) · cites this paper as Smeeth 2004
In Smeeth 2004, the OR for the association between MMR vaccination and PDDs was 0.86 (95% CI 0.68 to 1.09) for the practice matched control group.
“0.86 (95% CI 0.68 to 1.09) for the practice matched control group.”
From Vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella in children (2012) · cites this paper as Smeeth 2004
In Smeeth 2004, the OR for the association between MMR vaccination and PDDs was 0.78 (95% CI 0.62 to 0.97) for the non-practice matched control group.
“The OR for the association between MMR vaccination and PDDs was 0.78 (95% CI 0.62 to 0.97) for the non-practice matched control group”
From Vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella in children (2012) · cites this paper as Smeeth 2004
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- Authors
- Smeeth, L., Cook, C., Fombonne, E., Heavey, L., Rodrigues, L. C., Smith, P. G., & Hall, A. J.
- Affiliations
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (GB)
- Montreal Children's Hospital (CA)
- King's College London (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Smeeth, Liam
- Venue
- The Lancet
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2004-09
- Volume
- 364
- Issue
- 9438
- Pages
- 963-969
- ISSN
- 0099-5355 (ISSN-L)
- 0140-6736
- OpenAlex
- W2107557001
- Cited by
- 263
- References
- 44
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 25.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Lancet (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- SHURA (Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive) (Sheffield Hallam University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Medical Research Council
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Toxicology › Pharmacovigilance and Adverse Drug Reactions
- Keywords
- MMR vaccination, MMR vaccine, autism spectrum disorder, pervasive developmental disorders, vaccine safety, autism risk, vaccine coverage decline, childhood immunization
- MeSH terms
- Autistic Disorder, Child, Child Development Disorders, Pervasive, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Infant, Male, Odds Ratio, Case-Control Studies, Asperger Syndrome, Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine
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