Case study 3Andrew Wakefield

A 1998 article published (and later retracted) by The Lancet that linked the onset of autism with childhood vaccination is arguably the most influential retracted scientific paper to date, at least in terms of its impact on public health. At London’s Royal Free Hospital, physician Andrew Wakefield conducted research on gastroenterology and autism. In the article, he and a dozen coauthors described the case histories of 12 children, including incidences of chronic enterocolitis, inflammatory bowel disease, regressive developmental disorder, and immunization with the MMR vaccine. At a prepublication news conference, Wakefield expressed his autism-related concerns with using the combination MMR vaccine rather than single-disease vaccines.

The Lancet paper quickly attracted major public attention, despite its relatively few research subjects. Vaccination rates fell sharply in the United Kingdom. The study helped launch the antivaccination movement in the United States. It also initiated a long series of subsequent publications from other researchers, as well as institutions like the U.S. Institute of Medicine, rejecting causal relationships between the MMR vaccine and autism. In Britain, the General Medical Council revoked Wakefield’s medical license, citing, among other findings, that he had not disclosed funding from lawyers suing vaccine manufacturers.