We examined MMR vaccine uptake among ethnic groups in Birmingham, UK between 1994 and 2000, a period incorporating adverse MMR vaccine publicity. From 1994 to 2000 overall uptake: (1) fell significantly from 91.1% in 1994 to 89.8% (chi(2) for trend p<0.001) in 2000, (2) in Asian children significantly increased (chi(2) for trend p<0.001), and (3) in White children significantly decreased (chi(2) for trend p<0.001). Differences between ethnic groups with the highest (Asian) and the lowest (Black Caribbean) uptake rates increased from 2.1% in 1994 (p=ns) to 6.8% in 2000 (p<0.001). This study suggests underlying ethnic inequalities in MMR vaccine uptake and differential response to adverse vaccine publicity.