Merck will not resume production of separate measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines.

[SanJosemama]

In December 2008, Merck announced they were no longer producing the separate measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines. Then, they announced they would resume production in 2011. Now, they say they will permanently discontinue production. http://www.pediatricsupersite.com/view.aspx?rid=44823

So, it's all or nothing, folks!

[AllyRae]

Then I guess Merck will never get money from our family for that vaccination. We were considering the MMR if we could separate it into different components. We absolutely won't give any of our children the combined one.

[ShadowMoon]

I don't understand why they would force people to take the all or nothing approach. If they truly cared about people's health, they would continue to offer the separate components, hoping that some people would opt for something rather than nothing. Not surprised, but disappointed once again by our wonderful "health" industry

[JBaxter]

looks like we are scratching another one off the list

[hollytheteacher]

Well, one thing to keep in mind is that even though they were separate there will still some downfalls.

For example, I think in the Dr. Sears book he said it was worse to separate them because then you get even more aluminum than you get in the combined (just specifically talking about MMR here)...of course IF you didn't want to do all three but wanted to just do one or two than I see the reason why you'd want the separate ones.

[hollytheteacher]

Just also wanted to add that we are totally skipping that vax anyway (separate or not)

[ASusan]

That SUCKS.

[Eman'smom]

Bummer, we were thinking of doing those at a later date broken up.

[thtr4me]

Well, I guess DS won't ever get any of those vaxs. And no MMR either.

[ema-adama]

Originally Posted by hollytheteacher

Well, one thing to keep in mind is that even though they were separate there will still some downfalls.

For example, I think in the Dr. Sears book he said it was worse to separate them because then you get even more aluminum than you get in the combined (just specifically talking about MMR here)...of course IF you didn't want to do all three but wanted to just do one or two than I see the reason why you'd want the separate ones.

There is no aluminium in the MMR.

The ingredients are:
the attenuated virus
saline, sugars and gelatine
human albumin
residual cow fetus serum
neomycin
chick embryo proteins
other buffer and media ingredients

These are the ingredients that you would be exposing your child to 3 times instead of once.

Although some people think that exposing the child to one virus at a time is safer than to three viruses at a time.

I know of people who would like the single vaccines and probably would not vaccinate if there is only the combined vaccine. Seems a bit silly to not give the option if they are serious about upping vaccine coverage and that is the only way some families will agree to administer the measles vaccine.

[Noelle C.]

The risk of our child catching any of these in America isn't great enough for us to bother with this one. I don't care if mumps is common in third-world countries and a problem there insofar as we aren't in those third-world countries. Yeah, I've had people use "but it's common in Africa, so what how can you say it's not a health threat to your daughter?" on me. We are in a separate nation, and the realistic chance of catching these three diseases is so slight. Plus measles, at least, is actuall a rather mild disease that's more discomfort than anything. The other two suck more, but again, in America one is less likely to catch them and have serious complications than one is to have complications from the vax.

Merck, if headed by people with brains, would offer both separate and combination versions of these vaxes. There are plenty of people who would only get it for their children if offered as separate, and not they're losing that business.

[Marnica]

Originally Posted by Noelle C.

The risk of our child catching any of these in America isn't great enough for us to bother with this one. I don't care if mumps is common in third-world countries and a problem there insofar as we aren't in those third-world countries. Yeah, I've had people use "but it's common in Africa, so what how can you say it's not a health threat to your daughter?" on me. We are in a separate nation, and the realistic chance of catching these three diseases is so slight. Plus measles, at least, is actuall a rather mild disease that's more discomfort than anything. The other two suck more, but again, in America one is less likely to catch them and have serious complications than one is to have complications from the vax.

Merck, if headed by people with brains, would offer both separate and combination versions of these vaxes. There are plenty of people who would only get it for their children if offered as separate, and not they're losing that business.

Actually the other two are just as mild. I would say measles may cause the most discomfort. Kids often have rubella and don't even know it as the symptoms are so mild and mumps is not a big deal either. I know adults who have had all 3 as children and none of them were more than a nuisance.

[Noelle C.]

Originally Posted by Marnica

Actually the other two are just as mild. I would say measles may cause the most discomfort. Kids often have rubella and don't even know it as the symptoms are so mild and mumps is not a big deal either. I know adults who have had all 3 as children and none of them were more than a nuisance.

Almost as mild, correct, but still suck slightly more. None of these three is the major, ZOMG!!!eleventy-1!, gonna die NAOW! diseases we've been led to think. Heh, even polio only majorly effected a smaller percentage of the population than the flu kills each year.

[Mirzam]

Originally Posted by Noelle C.

Almost as mild, correct, but still suck slightly more. None of these three is the major, ZOMG!!!eleventy-1!, gonna die NAOW! diseases we've been led to think. Heh, even polio only majorly effected a smaller percentage of the population than the flu kills each year.

I agree with Marnica, measles is the "worst" of the three. I have had all of them, rubella was basically nothing, mumps was also very mild, although my cousin had it "bad", he looked that the man in the moon with a toothache. While it wasn't terrible, I certainly felt sicker with the measles.

[hollytheteacher]

Originally Posted by ema-adama

There is no aluminium in the MMR.

The ingredients are:
the attenuated virus
saline, sugars and gelatine
human albumin
residual cow fetus serum
neomycin
chick embryo proteins
other buffer and media ingredients

These are the ingredients that you would be exposing your child to 3 times instead of once.

Although some people think that exposing the child to one virus at a time is safer than to three viruses at a time.

I know of people who would like the single vaccines and probably would not vaccinate if there is only the combined vaccine. Seems a bit silly to not give the option if they are serious about upping vaccine coverage and that is the only way some families will agree to administer the measles vaccine.

Oh, whoops...maybe it wasn't aluminum I was thinking of...i'll have to recheck, i just remember he did make one compelling argument for doing the combined...just can't remember what it was...again, we're not doing MMR at all, but I remember reading something and being like..."oh, IF we did that i guess i'd rather just do the combined one" but i don't remember now what that reason was lol

[gbailey]

We're not getting it for DD. My mother has had mumps, rubella and measles and thinks the vaccine is amusing since she had nearly all of the diseases kids are vaccinated against. So funny how the new "outbreak" of mumps in Brooklyn were kids who were all vaccinated.

[MyBoysBlue]

I had mumps as a kid I was 11 or 12. Funny thing is I did get vaxed as a baby and had the booster for it when I was 6.

[Fyrestorm]

Originally Posted by gbailey

We're not getting it for DD. My mother has had mumps, rubella and measles and thinks the vaccine is amusing since she had nearly all of the diseases kids are vaccinated against. So funny how the new "outbreak" of mumps in Brooklyn were kids who were all vaccinated.

I had them all too and I was vaccinated up the wazoo! Mumps were definitely the most uncomfortable!