(MMR)
Although measles, mumps, and rubella are highly contagious diseases, the MMR vaccine is very effective at protecting people from these illnesses.
Measles is extremely contagious, and can be dangerous: serious cases of measles can lead to brain damage and even death.
Mumps also spreads easily from person to person and can lead to serious complications like hearing loss.
Although mumps is rare, infections can still happen in places where people are in close contact with each other — like schools, colleges, and camps.
Rubella spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes. If a pregnant woman gets rubella, it can cause serious conditions and even death for the baby. Although rubella was eliminated from the United States in 2004, rubella is still common in other countries. People can get rubella while traveling and spread it to unvaccinated people upon their return.
According to the Centers for Disease Control:
- One dose of MMR vaccine is 93% effective against measles, 78% effective against mumps, and 97% effective against rubella.
- Two doses of MMR vaccine are 97% effective against measles and 88% effective against mumps.
Learn more about the MMR vaccine.
Most side effects after vaccination are mild. They include:
- Pain, swelling, or redness where the shot was given
- Mild fever
- Chills
- Feeling tired
- Headache
- Muscle and joint aches
Although serious side effects following vaccination are rare, they do occur.
The U.S. government created the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program to reimburse people who suffer a serious injury as the result of a vaccine.
All vaccines administered to children and many vaccines administered to adults are covered by the federal vaccine program, including the MMR vaccine.
Serious injuries that can occur after an MMR vaccine include:
- GBS (Guillain-Barré syndrome)
- SIRVA (Shoulder injury related to vaccine administration)
- CIDP (Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy)
- AIDP (Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy)
- ADEM (Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis)
- ITP (Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura)
- TP (thrombocytopenic purpura)
- Transverse myelitis (TM)
- Central nervous disorders
- Encephalopathy
- Anaphylaxis
- Brachial neuritis
- Rotator cuff tear
- Vasovagal syncope
- Injection site injury
- Abscess
- Shoulder injury
- Arm injury
The vaccine program will only consider compensation when injuries persist and require ongoing medical care for longer than six months.
If you or your child suffered an illness or injury after an MMR vaccine, contact our office for a free consultation with a member of our experienced vaccine team. Click here to see if you may be eligible to compensation from the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
Our experienced vaccine injury team will discuss your options with you. If you are eligible, we can guide you through the process of applying to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, and help you get all the compensation you deserve.
We have represented people with vaccine injuries for more than thirty years. We know that these injuries can be life-changing and debilitating.
Our consultation is free, and if you win an award, our fees do not come out of your settlement. Any attorney’s fees are paid separately by the Vaccine Fund. You will never pay a fee for our assistance.