Following the adverse publicity regarding MMR vaccine,¹ MMR vaccination rates have declined. Kingston had the highest uptake of MMR in London (83–87% in 2003–04), but is still below the national target.² A targeted MMR Capital Catch up Campaign was introduced by the London NHS for the estimated 90 000 primary school children (aged 4–11 years) susceptible to measles (received less than two doses).

We conducted a descriptive study looking at parents’ reasons for refusing MMR vaccination, analysing retrospectively all returned consent forms, from 50 primary schools from the Royal Borough of Kingston (fig 1⇓), between December 2004 and April 2005. Parents were asked to indicate one of three options: consent to vaccination; refusal …