No public health issue of recent years has attracted such heated debate as the question of whether the MMR vaccine can cause autism. The MMR jab combines three childhood vaccines, against measles, mumps and rubella, into one injection, which is first given to children at around 12-18 months. It has virtually eradicated these diseases from the UK, and throughout the world it has saved hundreds of lives. Recent years, however, have seen the rates of MMR vaccination decline. In some areas of the UK, only 60% of children are receiving MMR. This decline has already let to a rise in the number of measles infections, and there are fears of an epidemic outbreak. The reason for all the concern over MMR is the suggestion that the vaccine might in fact be damaging some of the children it was supposed to protect.

Episode Viewers and Ratings

Season 41 Episode 18 of Horizon resulted in a 0.00 rating in the 18-49 demographic.

Horizon Season 41 Episodes...

• s41e01 - Tsunami: Naming The Dead
• s41e02 - The Hawking Paradox
• s41e03 - The Mystery of the Human Hobbit
• s41e04 - The Doctor Who Makes People Walk Again
• s41e05 - Could Fish Make My Child Smart
• s41e10 - Space Tourists
• s41e11 - Waiting for a Heartbeat
• s41e12 - A War on Science
• s41e13 - The Lost City of New Orleans
• s41e14 - Most of Our Universe Is Missing
• s41e16 - The Lost Civilisation of Peru
• s41e17 - The Next Megaquake
• s41e18 - Does The MMR Jab Cause Autism

Horizon Show Summary

Horizon is BBC Two's flagship 50-minute science documentary series.

Recognised as the world leader in its field, it regularly wins a sweep of international science, medical and environmental film accolades, and has recently won the Royal Television Society Award and the Prix Italia.

In 2002, the British Academy of Film & Television Arts presented Horizon with the BAFTA Television Award for Best Factual Series or Strand.

In 2003 it won the prestigious Images et Science award for best medical documentary and the Carl von Linne Award at the Living Europe film festival in Sweden. That year, a Horizon co-production with WGBH Boston won the Emmy for best documentary.

In September 2014 it celebrated its 50th anniversary and it continues to enjoy outstanding critical acclaim.