10:35am UK, Saturday August 07, 2004

Babies are reportedly to stop being given a vaccine containing mercury amid fears of a link to autism.

Doctors are being sent details of major changes in infant vaccines, which will also see a five-in-one jab introduced at two months of age.

180 syringe Anthrax vaccine injection

Moves to end mercury jab

The move comes in the wake of evidence from research in the US suggesting a mercury-based element of some vaccines was linked to autism-like damage to the brains of some mice.

Campaigners gave a mixed response to the reported new plans.

Jacquie Fletcher, founder of parent support group Justice, Awareness and Basic Support, welcomed removal of the mercury-based jab.

But she told the Daily Telegraph: "Giving five vaccines increases the risk of an adverse event as well as making it more difficult to find out which element is the cause if something goes wrong.

"I would also like to know why they have now decided to take mercury out of the vaccine."

The changes are due to come into effect from September, once sufficient stocks of the new vaccine have been amassed.

The Department of Health has always denied evidence of a link between mercury in vaccines and autism.