Andrew Wakefield responds to article about journal retraction of autism study report

Dr. Andrew Wakefield has responded in an e-mail message to Tuesday's article citing the medical journal Lancet's retraction of his 1998 article purporting to link autism to the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. The article stated that Wakefield now practices in Austin, Texas. In fact, he does not practice medicine, but performs research aimed at the development of new treatments for autism. His statement:

"The allegations against me and my colleagues are both unfounded and unjust and I invite anyone to examine the contents of these proceedings and come to their own conclusion.

"In fact, the Lancet paper does not claim to confirm a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. Research into that possible connection is still ongoing."

He is correct -- sort of. The paper does not claim to confirm the link, which has subsequently been refuted by innumerable studies showing that the incidence of the autism epidemic is unrelated to vaccination. But many who read the paper drew the clear inference that the vaccine is the cause. Since the paper's publication, millions of dollars of research funds that could have been spent looking for the causes of the disorder have instead been diverted to investigating the potential link to vaccines. More important, a large number of parents, particularly in England but also in the United States, refused to have their children vaccinated with MMR, leading to outbreaks of measles with serious consequences.

But perhaps for fellow researchers the more relevant question today is whether results from Wakefield's current and ongoing studies can be trusted. Reseachers build upon each other's findings, often trusting that scientific standards have been applied and that the results are legitimate. 

The General Medical Council, Britain's regulator of such affairs, concluded that in his research for the Lancet paper Wakefield acted with "callous disregard" for patients by conducting invasive tests on children that were not in their best medical interests. He also failed to obtain approval from his ethics committee for his studies and obtained blood samples for his research by offering 5 pounds to children at a birthday party, the council said. His paper said that the results were obtained with 12 consecutive patients, when that was not the case, according to the council. He also did not disclose that his studies were funded by lawyers who were attempting to sue the vaccine makers in court, nor that he was developing a vaccine that would have been very profitable if the MMR vaccine was discarded, the council said. The council also said it is considering withdrawing Wakefield's license to practice medicine.

Queried about researchers' concerns, Wakefield responded that: "I commonly conduct research in conjunction with collaborators from universities and private institutions all over the world. These teams of researchers are highly regarded in their fields."

Researchers have also wondered why it took Lancet so long to retract the paper. A letter to The Times from Dr. Gilbert Ross, medical director of the pro-industry American Council on Science and Health, summarizes many of the comments The Times has received:

"The retraction by The Lancet's editor-in-chief Richard Horton comes far too late. Even now, Horton fails to accept responsibility for the human toll he engendered by publishing the Wakefield 'study' in 1998. The study -- even without the then-unknown ethical failings -- was a terribly unscientific piece of garbage, based on 12 children and using a 'novel' theory of causation and flimsy 'evidence'.... Even when 10 of the original 13 authors withdrew their names, Horton declined to either withdraw the article or accept his own guilt for the ravages of preventable childhood diseases following the havoc he allowed to occur."

Rae Sonnenmeier, clinical associate professor of communication sciences and disorders at the University of New Hampshire, concurs, noting that Horton called the paper "fatally flawed" in 2004, while refusing to retract it. The decision has "placed children at unnecessary risk for contracting measles, rubella and mumps, which are serious diseases that can be prevented by immunization," she said.

Wakefield is executive director of Thoughtful House for Children, which submitted the e-mailed statement on his behalf.

-- Thomas H. Maugh II

Comments

[Irene Petroski]

Reality,
I have a sneaking suspicion that you are being paid by a vaccine manufacturing company. i read autism's "false prophets", nice paraphrasing, but no marks for originality. Also, in you second comment about unvaccinated children being a danger to themselves?? and everyone else?? what are you talking about? how can an UN-vaccinated person infect a Vaccinated person?...unless the vaccines don't work.....

[bensmyson]

Laura vaccines are unsafe for some. Examples of accidental falls etc are apples and oranges, there is no accident when some one jabs a toxin into a baby and it causes an injury, Im sure Merck would like everyone to think so however they calculate the "down side" and since it doesn't cost Merck or whoever a single cent if a child is injured they could care less.

I want informed consent, give a parent a chance to weigh options, lets see some posters hanging on the wall in a pediatrician's waiting room warning of potential injuries.

And find me more than 10 Amish that have kept the CDC vaccination schedule. In fact find me more than one sect that has more than a few of their children vaccinated by more than 3 vaccines.

And Irene, vaccinated people spread disease via shedding. In Africa vaccines were actually causing a new strain of Polio. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/11/health/11iht-polio.1.7847606.html

I am not against all vaccines, just against people saying they are safe, lying to me. Allow me to make the choice of vaccinating my child based on facts.

[Harry Schmidt]

We're wasting our time trying to tell the antivaxxers anything. They simply shrug off every logical indication to the contrary. Multiple studies fail to reproduce Wakefield's results? Meta-analysis of all available data indicates absolutely no connection between vaccination and autism? The MMR vaccine never ever contained thimerosal, the alleged agent of autistic changes? You will never find an intelligent reply to any of these concerns.

To the intelligent skeptic these results, combined with the fact that Wakefield has published other faulty research (he alleged a link between vaccination and Crohn's Disease which has also been disproven), are more than enough to dismiss the man as a crank. But the usual fodder of conspiracy theories is trotted out to support Wakefield -- "Big Pharma" (whatever that is) is in collusion with "the Government" and various other inadequately-defined associations to quash the truth. I suppose that makes him a sort of Fox Mulder, with Jenny McCarthy playing the role of Dana Scully and Dr. Edward Jenner, the man who saved hundreds of millions of human lives by his discovery of the smallpox vaccine, as the Cigarette Smoking Man. That shows you exactly how warped the antivax metanarrative is -- they make the killers heroes and the heroes killers.

[Kimberly]

One thing is clear from the Dr. Wakefield issue. That is, scientific research MUST follow defined ethical standards. Clearly, Autism Spectrum Disorder(s) affects MANY, MANY families, schools, and communities (emotionally, physically, financially). I think we are going to find that there may be MANY causes of ASD. For one child, it might have been genetics alone, or gastrointenstinal damage that lead to neurological damage, vaccine "damage" to a child "pre-disposed" for ASD, etc. (similar to the 50 + "causes" of dementia- stroke, alcohol use, heart disease, Alzheimers)

[karey williams]

I hear repeatedly that millions of dollars have been diverted from autism research because anti-vaxers insist vaccines are the link to autism. I have yet to hear however, any research that has been done at all by the centers for disease control or any research done by the National Institute of health. So I would like to know who's millions and what studies because I can't find them.

[.]

It is amazing to me how Dr. Wakefield's alleged nonrandom selection of subjects is exagerrated to the level of calculated fraud, but the conflicts of interest in prior epidemological studies showing no relationship between vaccines and autism is soundly ignored. Do you truly believe every study conducted and published is 100% free of research irregularities? Obviously, the majority of journalists must believe this to be true, as only the studies that question the status quo are held up to scrutinty and get massive negative press. Bernadine Healy, former director of the NIH, questioned the methodologies of prior epidemological studies showing no link between vaccines and autism. So where's the negative press for those studies? Unfortunately, most journalists don't understand science and can't critique or sort through the issues, so they report what the big smart people tell them to report.

[jerry]

EPA or FDA? What is the safe limit of mercury for 18 pound toddler? Nobody ever feeds a can of tuna to a baby or toddler? Communities that are more constistant with vaccines have more Autism.. (military families, educated communities, older mothers)and yes, premature babies are more subseptible too. Because of their weight early in the vaccine scheduale.

[Sylvia Sage]

I'm really tired of all the 2nd hand accounts about Andrew Wakefield. I want to see what he wrote--the whole article, so I can evaluate it for myself.

Sounds to me that a lot of people blame him for a measles outbreak that may or may not have been his fault.

[E. Avellan]

My story is as follows: I met Dr. Andrew Wakefield in May of 2004, by the grace of God, THE DAY BEFORE my brand new baby was supposed to have his 2 -month old vaccines. Welcome to 2004... no doctor was warning mothers about eating too much fish, specially tuna and swordfish. Trying to stay "fit" during my pregnancy, I ate a lot of both!!!
Well, because of Dr. Wakefield's flashing red lights about slowing the vaccine process and the wisdom, the fact that my baby had a horrible case of eczema...(HUGE WARNING SIGN OF GUT, ALLERGY AND MERCURY POISONING ISSUES) AND his advice about "GETTING TO KNOW THE CHILD AS AN INDIVIDUAL" are all the reasons why my sweet boy (who is almost 6 yrs old now) didn't fall into the pit of autism. Dr. Wakefield has guided me (a mother of 6 children, 5 boys and 1 girl) to make sure that my beautiful HIGHLY INTELLIGENT son grows up, develops, and he is (along with his brothers and sister) an amazing scholar and athlete at the age of 5. He has had his major struggles (asthma, major allergies diagnosed by a major mainstream allergist: he is allergic to gluten, casein, egg whites, PEANUTS, soy... Also allergic to Oak, Elm, Johnson and Bermuda grass.) He will never be able to golf. All of this has been found out in the past 3 months! November 2009- February 2010. NOW I REALLY KNOW ANDY WAKEFIELD HELPED ME AND MY SWEET BOY DODGE THE HUGE AUTISM BULLET! I will forever be grateful and indebted to Dr. Andy Wakefield!

[Richard]

Why link the rebuttal and not the letter or other evidence/claims that might support the claims of the writer of the letter.
http://drtenpenny.com/default.aspx claims 10 000 hours of research into the subject, perhaps a fair course of action to balance out the one-sidedness of this article (and others like it) would be to read her books, view her DVDs, or interview her.

I think true "journalism" requires some research and balance, I hope this will come about soon in your publication.

[grandma k]

As a grandmother of a severely autistic child (11 and no speech), they have just discovered that I have a genotype CYP2D6, which metabolized about 90% of all medications, and in general most things that use that pathway in the liver for metabolism. It is altogether possible that my grandchild has this as well, since his mother has just been tested and has the same abnomally. As a matter of fact, there are 8 members of my family tree that have been tested and found that it was passed on to them. It is possible that something else is coming to play in autism, but for our family the effects of same were right after the MMR vaccination and if , in fact , my grandson has the same genetic risk, it would make sense. Anybody ever researched that one?