Essential Medicines News

From 1999 to 2005, measle death rates have declined over 60%, which has been attributed to the United Nations’ measles initiative. By the year 2010, the initiative’s goal is to have a decline of 90% in measles mortality.

There is even cautious talk of the possibility of ridding the world of measles, but while the eradication of smallpox was a triumph, the long struggle to eliminate the final reservoirs of polio in a handful of countries has shown how difficult it is to stamp out a disease.

Measles eradication could conceivably be stymied not by the developing world, but by dissenters in rich countries such as the UK. Take-up of the combined measles, mumps and rubella jab for young children dropped dramatically after the publication of a paper in 1998 suggesting a hypothetical link to autism. Although the suggestion has been widely discredited, use of the MMR jab has not returned to the 93% level it previously reached. Last June, it was just under 86% in England, and in London it reached only 72.5% - way below the target of 95% the WHO says is necessary to prevent measles outbreaks.

More can be found about this topic in the Lancet: “Has the 2005 measles mortality reduction goal been achieved? A natural history modelling study“