The MMR vaccine and autism

In February 1998, the Lancet published a study by Dr Andrew Wakefield, a British gastroenterologist, which suggested a link between the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine as an environmental trigger, and a novel bowel disorder that led to a regressive form of autism. Despite repeated assurances from health professionals and extensive epidemiological studies, which categorically refuted such a link, the controversy sparked a huge public health scare in the United Kingdom. After a decade of controversy and investigation, Dr Wakefield was found guilty of ethical, medical and scientific misconduct in carrying out the study and publishing fraudulent data. It is important for healthcare professionals to be aware of the specifics of the controversy in this multifaceted scandal and the ongoing implications, which have led to a resurgence in cases of measles, mumps and rubella. It is also imperative to question how effectively science is being communicated to the general public to allow them to make better health decisions for their children and themselves.