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The author of the 1998 paper that fueld the anti-vaccination movement by asserting a link between MMR vaccinations and autism was recently found to have falsified his original data. The Sunday Times reports that the study's author Andrew Wakefield "changed and misreported results in his research" which was originally published in The Lancet medical journal in 1998. "He is the man who almost single-handedly launched the scare over the MMR vaccine in Britain," wrote ScienceBlogger Orac from respectful Insolence in his coverage of this revelation.
Related ScienceBlogs Posts:
- Scientific Misconduct and the Autism-MMR Vaccine Link
The Questionable Authority February 8, 2009
If the charges leveled by the paper are remotely accurate, Wakefield is guilty of homicide - perhaps not legally, but certainly morally.
- Why am I not surprised? It looks as though Andrew Wakefield probably falsified his data
Respectful Insolence Ferbruary 8, 2008
If the latest information is true, however, Wakefield is guilty of more than shoddy science and unreported conflicts of interest. He is guilty of scientific fraud and falsifying the medical reports of these children...
- The anti-vaccination movement—rotten to the core
White Coat Underground February 8, 2009
A fundamental misunderstanding of science has never been at the core of the anti-vaccine movement; lies, self-promotion, and demagoguery are the true heart of this destructive social movement.
- Vaccines and autism--can we stick a fork in it now, please?
Aetiology February 8, 2009
... it's still pretty shocking that he completely made up data, and then pushed it for ten years as children around the world became ill and even died in light of his research.
- Jeni Barnett MMR show on LBC—full transcript
SciencePunkFebruary 6, 2009
Thanks to a sterling effort by a group of dedicated science bloggers and blog-readers, the whole Jeni Barnett MMR radio show has been transcribed for your reading pleasure.
Comments
The Vaccine Court's release of its opinion on Darwin's 200th birthday was fortuitous, seeing as the vaccine-autism faithful have a good deal in common with religious fundamentalists. They are so invested in their ideas that they ignore or attack any evidence to the contrary, and treat gaps in the opposing evidence as further proof in their favor.
The obscenity of the "anti-vax" movement is stupefying-- a campaign to reinstitute open sewers or ban refrigeration could scarcely threaten greater violence to the public health.
I have much more to say on this topic here.
Posted by: Holy Prepuce! | February 20, 2009 11:31 AM