Wakefield’s Anti-Vaccination Fraud: Smoking Gun
Andrew Wakefield kicked off the modern anti-vaccine movement in 1998 with a publication in the Lancet linking autism to entercolitis (gut inflammation). He followed this with an expanded study in 2000, and evidence showing that measles replication in the gut was causing the inflammation in 2002.
The Lancet 1998 and American Journal of Gastroenterology 2000 papers were later retracted, at least in part because the samples used in those studies were obtained unethically and outside of ethical review of human research.
The Molecular Pathology 2002 paper was never retracted. The General Medical Council (UK) in their public hearings disclosed the raw data obtained during an investigation. It came to me through a colleague involved in the investigation and I want to share it with you. It is the smoking gun that convinced me that Wakefield was involved in an intentional fraud, that he was aware the data he was producing was false and deceptive.
Here are some links to learn more.
Investigator Brian Deer details the full chronology with essential primary documents. Excellent, thorough journalism:
http://briandeer.com/mmr/lancet-summary.htmThe GMC findings in the case of Andrew Wakefield:
http://www.gmc-uk.org/Wakefield_SPM_and_SANCTION.pdf_32595267.pdf
It details the way Wakefield collected blood samples at his children’s birthday parties, and the ethical violations.A brief introduction to real-time PCR:
http://pathmicro.med.sc.edu/pcr/realtime-home.htmThe three papers referenced:
1. Lancet. 1998 Feb 28;351(9103):637-41.
“Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children.” [RETRACTED]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/95003202. Am J Gastroenterol. 2000 Sep;95(9):2285-95.
“Enterocolitis in children with developmental disorders.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/110072303. Mol Pathol. 2002 Apr;55(2):84-90.
“Potential viral pathogenic mechanism for new variant inflammatory bowel disease.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1187154/