Sir,-,Being the father of two autistic children, I have for obvious reasons been following all the recent debates over the MMR vaccine.

My son, 15 years of age, had the MMR vaccine four years after his diagnosis of atypical autism. My daughter, seven years of age has not had the MMR vaccine.

Having said that, this does not mean I support this vaccine. I do not. I have spoken to many, many parents who will tell you exactly the same. My children's autism was without doubt caused by the other triple vaccine.

As it was with the children of the parents I have come into contact with, yes the DPT vaccine. What seems to be missing from these debates are both parents and the medical profession looking at the whole picture.

Only recently the World Health Organisation announced an inquiry into links between autism and thiomersal (Mercury) based vaccines. Unfortunately, as with the recent study carried out in Finland on the MMR vaccine, this study and the WHO are financed by the pharmaceutical companies who manufacture these very vaccines. The DPT vaccine contains a mercury based preservative (thiomersal), which was never safety tested for use in childhood vaccines.

Unfortunately, it seems the politicians of this country have no morals. It is, I am afraid, the wellbeing of the corporates before the wellbeing of its people.

Autistic spectrum disorders are at epidemic levels. Surely this too needs to be eradicated!

-Garry Maher, Elm Road, East Sheen.