incidence of more than 1 case per 100,000 doses of vaccine. There were no cases of autism, and no cases of ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease or any chronic disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Table: MMR vaccination in Finland - all potentially serious adverse events in 1.8 ,illion people given 3 million doese of vaccine. Event Total number of events Number with possible MMR association Incidence per 100,000 doses of vaccine Death 1 0 0.00 Allergic disorders Anaphylaxis 30 14 0.50 Urticaria 30 25 0.80 Asthma 10 5 0.20 Henoch-Schenein purpura 2 1 0.03 Stevens-Johnson syndrome 1 1 0.03 Neurologic disorders Febrile seizure 52 28 0.90 Epilepsy 3 1 0.03 Undefined seizure 4 2 0.07 Encephalitis 4 3 0.10 Meningitis 4 0 0.00 Guillain-Barr syndrome 2 2 0.07 Transient gait disturbance 5 5 0.30 Confusion during fever 3 2 0.07 Miscellaneous Pneumonia 12 5 0.20 Orchitis 7 1 0.03 Diabetes 3 0 0.00 Other evidence Other evidence rejecting a causal link between MMR vaccine and autism comes from a retrospective study of about 500 cases of autism in North Thames [4]. Records of children with autistic disorders born since 1979were identified, and their clinical details examined. Immunisation data was obtained from a separate computerised register. The results showed that the incidence of autism (core autism, atypical autism and Asperger's syndrome) rose from low levels in 1979 to much higher levels by the early 1990s. This was a continuous trend, with no evidence of a step-up after the introduction of MMR in