Merck in the USA will no longer be manufacturing the Mumps Vaccine to sell in single component form. Up until recently the Merck website was showing that the Mumps vaccine would be available from 2011, this has now been changed to unavailable.  Merck are currently the only manufacturers of the single Mumps vaccine that is licensed to be imported into the UK. Therefore, we cannot currently offer vaccination for Mumps due to supply.

There have been various statements in newspapers recently claiming that “Parents who want to avoid the MMR vaccine will not be able to vaccinate their children against mumps after the world's only manufacturer of the jab stopped production, it has emerged.”

There are other manufacturers of the mumps vaccine as currently listed on the MHRA website.

Upon hearing of Merck’s decision our pharmaceutical importer is approaching other manufacturers who produce single vaccines. These manufacturers already produces vaccines approved by the MHRA in the UK.  There will be further updates when more information regarding this vaccine is available.

We are very sorry that Merck have reached this decision and regret that Independent Family Healthcare will now not be able to offer the Mumps vaccine to you.  However, we would like to reassure parents that Mumps in contrast to the risks associated with Measles and the danger to an unborn child of Rubella, is nearly always a mild and harmless illness in the vast majority of young children who catch it. 

FOR DETAILED INFORMATION ON RECOMMENDATIONS ON VACCINATION FOR MUMPS PLEASE CLICK ON THIS SENTENCE