Lancet kills MMR paper 10 years on

Friday, 5 February 2010, 4:51 pm
Press Release: Science Media Centre

The move by London-based medical journal The Lancet to retract a ten year old paper that suggested a potential link between the MMR vaccine and autism in children effectively ends one of the longest running medical controversies of recent decades.

The retraction from The Lancet editor Richard Horton follows a damning General Medical Council ruling last week that found the author of The Lancet paper, Dr Andrew Wakefield, acted unethically in the way he carried out the research. Numerous peer-reviewed studies in the years since Wakefield published his research suggest there is no link between MMR and autism, however the resulting public health scare led to immunisation rates falling around the world.

Scientists in the UK and New Zealand this week reflected on the ruling and the impact of the research.

Listen out for a discussion on the topic on Graeme Hill's Radio Live weekend show at 12.45pm this Sunday.

ENDS

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