Dr. Andrew Wakefield, the British doctor whose 1998 study linked the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine (MMR) to the development of Autism Spectrum Disorder and forced a retraction from the reputable The Lancet medical journal, was barred from practicing medicine in his native Britain on May 24, 2010 by the British General Medical Council.
Wakefield Causes Widespread Alarm for Parents
Wakefield caused panic for parents when his 1998 study results supposedly linked the MMR with the development of autism. The results were published in Britain's most respected medical journal, The Lancet, sending shockwaves through both the medical community and parents worldwide.
The study itself, however, did not withstand scrutiny when other scientists failed to replicate the test and The Lancet was forced to issue a full retraction. Wakefield went on to face more than 30 separate ethical charges which also included the conducting of unnecessary invasive medical procedures on children.
Wakefield, who ceased practicing in Britain in 2004, was finally barred from practicing medicine after a lengthy investigation concluded in January 2010 that Wakefield was guilty of dishonesty and violating ethical rules. The barring by the medical council was the final installment of the council's investigation.
Wakefield Paid Kids at his Son's Birthday Party to Give Blood
John F. Burns of the New York Times newspaper reported on May 24, 2010, that Wakefield had joked about paying children who had attended his son's birthday party about five pounds to give blood samples. Furthermore the Times article, "British Medical Council Bars Doctor Who Linked Vaccine With Autism," says that part of Wakefield's research costs were funded by lawyers working for parents looking to sue vaccine makers for damages.
Scientific research has in general failed to find a link between the MMR vaccine and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and critics of Wakefield claim the doctor is responsible for a rapid rise of measles cases in areas that have the vaccine.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) launched a new program called Protect Tomorrow in April 2010 due to claims that diseases that were quelled in the past, or were once thought eradicated, are now starting to resurface in some areas.
Wakefield, 54, vowed to continue his research, telling NBC's Matt Lauer of the Today Show on May 24, 2010, that this was just a "a little bump in the road." The General Medical Council said, "The Panel concluded that [striking Wakefield's name from the register] is the only sanction that is appropriate to protect patients and is in the wider public interest," adding that it "is proportionate to the serious and wide-ranging findings made against him."
Wakefield was until February 2010, practicing as a staff researcher at Thoughtful House, an alternative medicine clinic in Austin, Texas. Wakefield holds no medical license for the USA.
Elizabeth Batt - Elizabeth Batt is a former large animal nurse, certified NREMT, lover of equines and conservationist.
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