Lancet retracts autism paper; Editor says he was ‘deceived’
February 2nd, 2010
From the [UK] Times, [UK] Guardian, BBC, [UK] Telegraph:
A leading medical journal has retracted a discredited research paper that sparked an international health crisis by claiming a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. Lancet’s announcement follows a finding by a British oversight panel that Andrew Wakefield (above), the lead author of the 1998 paper, had been irresponsible and dishonest in carrying out the study.
Lancet editor Richard Horton told the [UK] Guardian that the finding by Britain’s General Medical Council (GMC) last week had prompted the journal’s decision. “It was utterly clear, without any ambiguity at all, that the statements in the paper were utterly false,” he said. “I feel I was deceived.”
Wakefield’s research prompted a significant drop in the number of children who were immunized for mumps, measles and rubella, contributing to a resurgence of measles cases in Britain.
Wakefield moved across the Atlantic to Austin, Texas, five years ago to help establish an autism clinic shortly before the GMC investigation began. Wakefield, who does not have a medical license in the United States, says he is not practicing medicine but rather working on research as executive director of the Thoughtful House autism center. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Related articles:
MMR scare doctor makes a fortune in U.S. — [UK] Times
‘Callous, unethical and dishonest’: Dr. Andrew Wakefield — by Brian Deer in the [UK] Sunday Times
Earlier posts:
Doctor censured over research claiming autism-vaccine link
Newspaper: Autism-vaccine scare began when researcher faked data
(Photo from [UK] Guardian)
Our RSS Feed