Andrew Wakefield et al. in his 1998 article published in the Lancet is credited as giving rise to the autism-vaccine (MMR) controversy. However, further scientific research has failed to find evidence that supports a causal link between vaccination and the onset of autism. In fact, Kolodziejski compiled an analysis of Wakefield’s article in a paper that revealed how his case study of 12 pediatric patients who were referred to a paediatric gastroenterology unit created an uproar in the scientific community and presented much alarm to the public community. This was attributed to Wakefield’s wording and style of writing the paper in which he failed to draw a conclusive link between MMR vaccine and onset of autism but incited enough doubt that some could infer a link between the two.
It turns out that Wakefield may have had other motives for publishing this 1998 paper. Articles published accused Wakefield of “reporting histories for the children that were not consistent with their records and their parents’ recollections, at a time when Wakefield was also being paid by lawyers intending to sue MMR manufacturers”. Similar accusations surfaced that Wakefield manipulated patients’ histories to make money but Wakefield denies charges of data manipulation or having financial motives.
Since Wakefield’s article, the public’s hesitancy to vaccinate their children has seen an increase. “By 2002, MMR immunization rates in the U.K. dropped below 85%, with some areas as low as 75%, and fell under the minimum for maintaining ‘herd immunity’ ”. However, several papers in the scientific community continues to reject the causal relationship. Accordingly, a paper written in 2004 from a “2001 review by the Institute of Medicine concluded that the evidence favors the rejection of a causal relationship at the population level between measles–mumps–rubella vaccine and autistic spectrum disorder.” (DeStefano, 2004). This cohort was a half a million Danish children in comparison to Wakefield’s 12.
Interestingly, although there have been numerous studies and showing strong evidence that the MMR vaccine is not a risk factor for autism, there are still many parents that continue to be concerned about vaccinating their children. Consequently, the concern about MMR vaccine has led to substantial reduction in MMR vaccination coverage and as a result there have been measles disease outbreaks. Therefore, the main challenge for communities at large continues to be in maintaining or restoring confidence in the safety of MMR vaccine to prevent future outbreaks of diseases that have previously almost been eradicated.
Microbiology and You 