steveh_131
Grandmaster
Dr. Andrew Wakefield and his famous 'Autism' research paper have been the subject of many debates. He is referenced often here on INGO. I would summarize the popular sentiment towards him as: "A fraudulent quack who published fraudulent research claiming that vaccines cause autism. Since he is a fraud, vaccines can not cause autism."
This sentiment is roughly 0% accurate and I would like to put some of the falsehoods to rest.
I remain unconvinced that the MMR vaccine is or was a significant factor in the development of autism spectrum disorders, although it has numerous other documented side effects. This paper did add to the mounting evidence that the gut plays a very important role in ASD; something that even the mainstream scientific community is beginning to accept and investigate.
Dr. Wakefield may or may not have been correct in his assessment of this evidence, but the attempts to vilify him are as spurious as they are transparent.
Sources:
(1) Original Lancet Paper
(2) Press Conference
(3) BBC News Coverage
(4) A few of the many studies that verified his research:
(5) Letter From the Parents
(6) England and Wales High Court Decisions
(7) Dr. Wakefield's Published Letter
This sentiment is roughly 0% accurate and I would like to put some of the falsehoods to rest.
Myth: Dr. Wakefield published research showing that vaccines cause autism.
False. This is a gross exaggeration of the relatively small study showing a correlation between the MMR vaccination and colitis, which seemed to coincide with the onset of behavioral symptoms including autism. A small group of 12 children were studied and this was never intended to be an exhaustive study, but a starting point or possible hypothesis to be tested in future studies. [SUP](1)
[/SUP]This was the final interpretation presented by the paper: "We identified associated gastrointestinal disease and developmental regression in a group of previously normal children, which was generally associated in time with possible environmental triggers."
Myth: When his paper was published, Dr. Wakefield publicly announced that parents should not vaccinate their children, causing an epidemic of otherwise preventable diseases.
False. At the time of publishing, Dr. Wakefield's public statements pertained to the combination of three separate viruses in a single MMR vaccine. He did not recommend avoiding these vaccines, he tentatively recommended that they be separated and administered individually. [SUP](2)[/SUP]
In fact, following these statements and the public response, the U.K. government banned the individual dose alternatives to the MMR vaccine, leaving parents with no access to what they perceived to be a safer option. [SUP](3)[/SUP]
Myth: Dr. Wakefield's conclusions were incorrect.
False. The results that he published in his research (primarily the high incidence of lymphoid nodular hyperplasia and colitis in ASD children) have been independently reproduced in numerous peer-reviewed studies since his original Lancet piece. [SUP](4)[/SUP]
Myth: Dr. Wakefield studied and treated these children without the proper informed consent of the parents.
False. The parents of 8 of the 12 children studied wrote an open letter condemning any accusations towards this group of doctors. They described their experience as follows: "We were all treated with utmost professionalism and respect by all three of these doctors. Throughout our children’s care at the Royal Free Hospital we were kept fully informed about the investigations recommended and the treatment plans which evolved. All of the investigations were carried out without distress to our children, many of whom made great improvements on treatment so that for the first time in years they were finally pain free."
In addition, these parents were purposely excluded from all of the proceedings that occurred and were not allowed to provide their testimony in support of these doctors. [SUP](5)
[/SUP]
Myth: The General Medical Council verified that there was fraudulent behavior on the part of these doctors.
False. The General Medical Council's handling of the initial proceedings was fundamentally flawed. Upon appeal, Professor Walker-Smith (Co-Author of the Lancet paper) was entirely vindicated. The judge stated that in the initial proceedings there had utilized "inadequate and superficial reasoning and, in a number of instances, a wrong conclusion". [SUP](6)[/SUP]
Myth: Dr. Wakefield had an undisclosed conflict of interest, as he was engaged by the Legal Aid Board.
False. This was already known by the Lancet, and he disclosed it publicly as well. [SUP](7)[/SUP]
False. This is a gross exaggeration of the relatively small study showing a correlation between the MMR vaccination and colitis, which seemed to coincide with the onset of behavioral symptoms including autism. A small group of 12 children were studied and this was never intended to be an exhaustive study, but a starting point or possible hypothesis to be tested in future studies. [SUP](1)
[/SUP]This was the final interpretation presented by the paper: "We identified associated gastrointestinal disease and developmental regression in a group of previously normal children, which was generally associated in time with possible environmental triggers."
Myth: When his paper was published, Dr. Wakefield publicly announced that parents should not vaccinate their children, causing an epidemic of otherwise preventable diseases.
False. At the time of publishing, Dr. Wakefield's public statements pertained to the combination of three separate viruses in a single MMR vaccine. He did not recommend avoiding these vaccines, he tentatively recommended that they be separated and administered individually. [SUP](2)[/SUP]
In fact, following these statements and the public response, the U.K. government banned the individual dose alternatives to the MMR vaccine, leaving parents with no access to what they perceived to be a safer option. [SUP](3)[/SUP]
Myth: Dr. Wakefield's conclusions were incorrect.
False. The results that he published in his research (primarily the high incidence of lymphoid nodular hyperplasia and colitis in ASD children) have been independently reproduced in numerous peer-reviewed studies since his original Lancet piece. [SUP](4)[/SUP]
Myth: Dr. Wakefield studied and treated these children without the proper informed consent of the parents.
False. The parents of 8 of the 12 children studied wrote an open letter condemning any accusations towards this group of doctors. They described their experience as follows: "We were all treated with utmost professionalism and respect by all three of these doctors. Throughout our children’s care at the Royal Free Hospital we were kept fully informed about the investigations recommended and the treatment plans which evolved. All of the investigations were carried out without distress to our children, many of whom made great improvements on treatment so that for the first time in years they were finally pain free."
In addition, these parents were purposely excluded from all of the proceedings that occurred and were not allowed to provide their testimony in support of these doctors. [SUP](5)
[/SUP]
Myth: The General Medical Council verified that there was fraudulent behavior on the part of these doctors.
False. The General Medical Council's handling of the initial proceedings was fundamentally flawed. Upon appeal, Professor Walker-Smith (Co-Author of the Lancet paper) was entirely vindicated. The judge stated that in the initial proceedings there had utilized "inadequate and superficial reasoning and, in a number of instances, a wrong conclusion". [SUP](6)[/SUP]
Myth: Dr. Wakefield had an undisclosed conflict of interest, as he was engaged by the Legal Aid Board.
False. This was already known by the Lancet, and he disclosed it publicly as well. [SUP](7)[/SUP]
I remain unconvinced that the MMR vaccine is or was a significant factor in the development of autism spectrum disorders, although it has numerous other documented side effects. This paper did add to the mounting evidence that the gut plays a very important role in ASD; something that even the mainstream scientific community is beginning to accept and investigate.
Dr. Wakefield may or may not have been correct in his assessment of this evidence, but the attempts to vilify him are as spurious as they are transparent.
Sources:
(1) Original Lancet Paper
Findings:
Onset of behavioural symptoms was associated, by the parents, with measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination in eight of the 12 children, with measles infection in one child, and otitis media in another. All 12 children had intestinal abnormalities, ranging from lymphoid nodular hyperplasia to aphthoid ulceration. Histology showed patchy chronic inflammation in the colon in 11 children and reactive ileal lymphoid hyperplasia in seven, but no granulomas. Behavioural disorders included autism (nine), disintegrative psychosis (one), and possible postviral or vaccinal encephalitis (two). There were no focal neurological abnormalities and MRI and EEG tests were normal. Abnormal laboratory results were significantly raised urinary methylmalonic acid compared with agematched controls (p=0·003), low haemoglobin in four children, and a low serum IgA in four children.
Interpretation
We identified associated gastrointestinal disease and developmental regression in a group of previously normal children, which was generally associated in time with possible environmental triggers.
(2) Press Conference
"I think if you asked members of the team that have investigated this they would give you different answers. And I have to say that there is sufficient anxiety in my own mind of the safety, the long term safety of the polyvalent, that is the MMR vaccination in combination, that I think that it should be suspended in favour of the single vaccines, that is continued use of the individual measles, mumps and rubella components."
"If you give three viruses together, three live viruses, then you potentially increase the risk of an adverse event occurring, particularly when one of those viruses influences the immune system in the way that measles does."
(3) BBC News Coverage
(4) A few of the many studies that verified his research:
Possible link between an immune response to the vaccinated form of the measles virus that leads to autistic-like symptoms
Link between AAD and MMR antibodies
Link between IDB and ASD
More links between the GI tract and ASD
Link between AAD and MMR antibodies
Link between IDB and ASD
More links between the GI tract and ASD
(5) Letter From the Parents
(6) England and Wales High Court Decisions
(7) Dr. Wakefield's Published Letter