HEALTH experts in Bolton are hoping the latest report confirming the safety of the single-vaccine MMR jab will reassure parents.

The latest study into a link between autism and MMR -- which protects against measles, mumps and rubella -- said there was no connection.

Controversy over the jab began after a study led by Dr Andrew Wakefield suggested a link with autism and bowel problems in 1998. But various large-scale studies failed to find any evidence of a link and Dr Wakefield's research was later discredited.

The latest study, published in The Lancet and funded by the Medical Research Council, looked at the vaccination records of 1,294 children diagnosed with autism or similar disorders between 1987 and 2001 in England and Wales.

The study only confirms what Bolton's world vaccination expert, Dr Robert Aston, has said for many years.

"This is yet another report that says there is no link between MMR and autism," he said. "There is no link between the two and there is lots of evidence to back that up. MMR is the safest vaccine we have."

It does not cause autism."

"It is so sad that parents are being misled about this because MMR is the safest thing they can do for their child."

Jan Hutchinson, Director of Public Health for Bolton PCT, said: "I'm sure this reassuring information will help Bolton maintain its good record on vaccination uptake."

But John Fletcher from Justice, Awareness and Basic Support, says the study proves nothing.

He said: "Whether they produce one of 1,000 of these reports will make no different to the conclusion because they do not do clinical studies on the children, they look at medical notes.

The MMR vaccine has an uptake of 88.2 per cent in Bolton, compared with 86 per cent in the North-west and 84 per cent in England.