Localised measles epidemics are a real danger in areas where MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccination rates are low, says the Public Health Laboratory Service.

But many parents still fear that such jabs are unsafe for their children and may cause autism. So how do GPs feel about whether children should have the MMR vaccination?

London doctor Jayne Donegan, 42, has gone from being an enthusiastic supporter of the vaccination programme to a GP who will no longer vaccinate at all.

Dr Donegan has two children, Antonia, seven, and Pandora, nine. She says: 'Last year, a newsletter produced by the Committee on Safety of Medicines and the Medicines Control Agency was sent to all GPs and hospitals.

'It said that an independent committee had reviewed all the available evidence on whether the MMR jab is linked to autism and Crohn's disease.

'They concluded that it was impossible to prove or refute the suggested associations between MMR vaccine and autism or inflammatory bowel disease - and went on to say that the information available did not support or give cause for concern about the safety of the MMR vaccine.

'This does not make any sense. If they were unable to refute the claims, they cannot then go on and say there is no cause for concern.

'The Department of Health insists the MMR vaccine doesn't cause autism, but every GP knows that when you give a vaccine, a child can get a high fever, suffer inconsolable crying or uncontrolled screaming, which are signs of encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain).

'If a child had encephalitis from any other cause - such as measles - and had a change in personality, the doctors would say that the encephalitis was to blame.

'Although they see so many people suffering from a mild form of vaccine encephalitis, they say it definitely doesn't cause personality changes, and definitely not autism.

'Are they saying that vaccine encephalitis is different from any other sort? And if so, how?

'People might worry about the reappearance of measles, which is the most serious of the three diseases, if we don't vaccinate.

'According to government figures, deaths from measles had decreased by 95pc before the first vaccine was introduced in 1968. The decline was steady, indicating that the disease was dying out naturally. Diseases do die out on their own.

the diseases we are trying to eradicate.

'In my opinion, normal childhood diseases are basically good for us. They teach our immune system what is "us" and what is foreign.

'I vaccinated both my children with the MMR jab, but this was before I started my research into the problems associated with it.

'Knowing what I know now, I would not vaccinate my children and run the risk of them getting diabetes, asthma, eczema, becoming more susceptible to meningitis and ending up chronically disabled.'

But Dr Rosemary Leonard supports the use of the MMR vaccination. She says: 'A couple of months ago, I was called out one evening to see Ben.

Normally a cheeky, lively five-year-old, he was lying listlessly on his bed with a temperature of 104F. He had a barking cough, his eyes were inflamed, and he was covered in a red, blotchy rash.

A saliva test confirmed that Ben had measles, and other than give him paracetamol, there was nothing I could do to relieve his misery.

Ben had not had his MMR vaccination because his mother was concerned about possible side-effects. Also, she thought measles wasn't around any more. It was a decision she came to regret.

Thanks to immunisation, measles has become a rare disease, and many young parents do not realise just how serious it can be. Secondary infections affecting the ears or the lungs are common, and 1pc of people get pneumonia, too.

More seriously, the measles virus can also attack the brain, causing encephalitis. This happens to approximately one in 1,000 cases of measles, and can lead to permanent brain damage or, worse still, a fatality.

If measles is acquired during pregnancy, it can lead to a miscarriage or premature labour. Recently, an increasing number of babies and children have not had the MMR jab and, as a result, cases of measles are on the rise.

Many parents are concerned about reports suggesting that the MMR vaccine could lead to an increased risk of autism or inflammatory bowel disease.

There is no evidence that giving the vaccine alters either the onset or the severity of symptoms. Cases of autism have also been reported in children who have not had the vaccine.

The cause of autism is not known, but MMR vaccination is not the culprit. Similarly, there is no firm evidence linking MMR with inflammation of the bowel.

To be fair, MMR is not 100pc risk-free. It can cause a mild illness, with a fever and a slight rash, which starts about a week after vaccination and lasts two to three days.

Very rarely, the fever may be enough to cause a febrile convulsion. Isolated cases of a fall in the blood platelet count (thrombocytopenia) have also been reported, but all have recovered. Unlike measles, there is no evidence that the vaccine can cause brain damage.

Measles is a serious illness, and even in today's modern age of technological medicine, there is no cure for it. Prevention is all-important, and the best way to do this is by vaccination.