Andrew Wakefield is an English doctor and medical researcher who is best known for his controversial 1998 paper linking the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism and bowel disease. The paper, published in the Lancet, was later retracted by the journal and Wakefield was eventually struck off the UK medical register in 2010 for ethical violations and falsifying data.
Wakefield was born in Eton, Buckinghamshire, England in 1957. He attended the prestigious St. George's Hospital Medical School in London, graduating with a degree in medicine in 1981. He then went on to specialize in gastroenterology and was appointed as a consultant at the Royal Free Hospital in London in 1988.
Wakefield's interest in the potential link between the MMR vaccine and autism began in 1995, when he was approached by parents of autistic children seeking an explanation for their condition. In 1998, he published a paper in the Lancet which suggested a link between the MMR vaccine, Crohn's Disease and autism. The paper caused a public outcry and the UK government responded by setting up a committee to investigate the safety of the MMR vaccine.
Wakefield's research was later discredited by other scientists and the Lancet retracted the paper in 2010 due to ethical violations and falsifying data. He was also struck off the UK medical register in the same year.
Despite this, Wakefield has remained a controversial figure and continues to pursue his research into the potential link between vaccines and autism. He has set up the non-profit organization Thoughtful House Center for Children, which is dedicated to conducting research into autism. He has also written several books on the subject and is a popular speaker at conferences and in the media.
Wakefield's research has been widely criticized, but his work has also had a significant impact on public opinion and has sparked an intense debate about the safety of vaccines. His legacy as a controversial figure in the medical world is likely to remain for years to come.
