Is there a limit to how many vaccinations a person can have?

The simple answer to this is no. There is no evidence to suggest that having more than one vaccine at a time, during an immunization program, will have any adverse effects on your, or your child's, health.

Vaccinations are usually given during childhood. Some vaccinations are given more than once to maintain the level of antibodies in your body - this top-up vaccine is called a booster. If you have any questions or concerns about the current child vaccination schedule, contact your doctor.

System overload?

Research into babies and young children's immune system, carried out in the United States, showed that there was no difference in hospital admissions between children who had multiple or singular vaccinations. The researchers went as far as to suggest that a baby's immune system can safely and effectively cope with 10,000 vaccines at any one time. Therefore, a baby's immune system can easily cope with additional vaccines if necessary.

MMR limit?

There is no limit to the number of MMR vaccinations you or your child can have. The risk of adverse reactions to the vaccine actually reduces with the number of MMR doses. Therefore, many medical professionals believe that the benefits of making sure you're protected against measles, mumps, and rubella, far outweighs any potential risk from additional doses.

If you can't remember whether you or your child has received the full MMR vaccine, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible. It is likely you will be given an additional MMR vaccine, and a booster at a later date.

When one vaccine is enough

However, there are some medical conditions where only dose of vaccine is required. For example, children only require one dose of the BCG vaccination (which provides protection against tuberculosis) because there is no evidence that additional doses provide any extra protection.