MMR Shot Broken Up

Hello D.,
I too want to break up the vaccine and have to date followed an alternative schedule for my 18 m.o. toddler. However, it is true, pharma giant Merck has discontinued the individual vaccines (or halted production I believe officially, they are not making any claims as to the future of the individual vaccines essentially) since January 2009, making it impossible for parents to obtain them, according to my pediatrician and to the Dr. Sears website/newsletters. You can consult the Dr. Sears' website for their take on it (they are outspoken on subject -- and a great help in the med community in my opinion), but essentially that is true. What's more, one or more of the individual vaccines were already difficult to obtain and on back order when they announced the stop, so my pediatrician couldn't even obtain end of run stock or have any in office.

I am still in the process of making a decision about my own child, yet have not come to a conclusion. I do however feel strongly that we should have the choice! I am pro-vaccine, yet I am also completely of the mind that we should be able to decide some of the details on if/when/how each individual child receives them, and we should be told exactly what ingredients are in them.

If anybody had any additional news on the availability/subject, please respond as well. All the best,
C.

ps: my (amazing) pediatricians are in California, as I am in the process of moving back to NYC this month, so I don't have a recommendation on that, apologies.

I broke up the MMR shot for my son (who is now 20 months old) at the Westchester Medical Group pediatric practice in Rye. I was able to easily obtain (from the pediatric office) the measles and rubella. However, it was VERY difficult to locate the mumps. After numerous phone calls made to doc offices, hospitals, pharmacies, etc, I came to find out (from the manuf., Merck) that they have stopped producing the Mumps vaccine. Last I heard, they were not going to go to production on it again for at least another 2,3 years. We somehow got lucky and found it at Northern Westchester hospital in Mt Kisco (this was about 3 months ago). They told us they only had a handful of doses left at that time as well. I would STRONGLY suggest you make sure you can locate all 3 separate vaccines before breaking it up (which seems impossbile at this point). We almost got stuck having to have our son do without one or give him a double dose!! Let me know if you have any other questions - I would be glad to help!!

I think your pediatrician is correct. I own a childcare center and have had difficulty with parent's finding the shots broken up once they started the series. I think one of the shots is no longer available. Since new research has show that there is no link to autism it is becoming much more difficult to get the shots broken up. I can totally appreciate your concern I have seen so many parent's stress over giving their children all of the shots required for school, or daycare entrance. My children are grown and I think if I had little ones I would be just as concerned. I would still have my children immunized, however I would only do one shot at a time even if that meant I had to go every two weeks. I really do believe giving a tiny child so many shots at one time could cause problems in some children. When my kids were little they only had to get the DPT, Polio, MMR and I think that was it. I am sure the shots are safe, however I think giving them all at one for some children and their chemical make-up could be a dangerous combination. This is purely my opinion and I have no medical degree to back my opinion up. As a mom and as a preschool owner and teacher seeing so many children with different levels of autism, and other learning disabilities it is quite scary. Something has to be the cause. I know the some doctors have put off the MMR for a few months to put some parent's mind at ease. Good luck I know this is one of many difficult decisions we have to make as parents.

My doctor in eastchester dr. Ilanjian said she would do it but I decided not to opt for it because it would be extra trips to the doctor and she calmed my fears about their being n
no mercury in the vaccine and my boys fine thank God her number is ###-###-####
good luck
From H.