4:25pm Monday 16th February 2004
DR David Pugh has lost his bid to be reinstated by the General Medical Council, despite evidence which he claimed proved his controverisal single vaccinations for measles, mumps and rubella were safe.
He was banned from practising in October after allegations by Hertsmere Primary Care Trust that 40,000 children, many from Harrow, treated at his private clinic in Elstree were at greater risk of catching the diseases because doctors did not follow manufacturers' guidelines for administering the jabs.
His suspension was reviewed following an independent analysis of the vaccines by a virology department in America but a GMC spokeswoman confirmed it would remain in force while the council's investigation continued.
Dr Pugh is adamant that he is the victim of a Department of Health "witchhunt" to ensure parents have their children inoculated with the combined MMR vaccine.
"We have shown through an independent virology laboratory that by reproducing exactly the same methods of storage, usage and administration that the potency and purity of the vaccines were not in any way compromised," he said.
A Hertsmere PCT spokeswoman said it had also received the results of Dr Pugh's analysis but could not comment on them until they had been assessed by the Health Protection Agency.
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