Recall bias, MMR, and autism
- 1Statistics Unit, Public Health Laboratory Service, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, UK
- 2Immunisation Division, Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, Public Health Laboratory Service
- 3Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Free and University College Medical School, Royal Free Campus, University College London, London NW3 2PF, UK
- Correspondence to:
Dr E Miller, Immunisation Division, Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, Public Health Laboratory Service, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, UK;
emiller{at}phls.org.uk
- Accepted 5 August 2002
Abstract
Parents of autistic children with regressive symptoms who were diagnosed after the publicity alleging a link with measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine tended to recall the onset as shortly after MMR more often than parents of similar children who were diagnosed prior to the publicity. This is consistent with the recall bias expected under such circumstances.
