title: [Wakefield's affair: 12 years of uncertainty whereas no link between autism and MMR vaccine has been proved].
abstract: In 1998, a Lancet paper described 12 cases of children with autism, and having been vaccinated (MMR) in the United Kingdom; medias presented the information to the lay public, stating that a link was possible. In 2004, The Lancet published letters responding to allegations against the paper. Later, it was established that no link existed between MMR and autism; few years and many publications were necessary to conclude to the absence of evidence. In 2010, the General Medical Council published a report against Dr Wakefield, first author of the 1998 paper, and showing that the children hospital records did not contain the evidence; hospital records differed from the published paper; the Lancet retracted the 1998 paper. In 2011, Brian Deer, a journalist, published the complete story in theBMJ: in 1996, Wakefield was approached by lawyers representing an anti-vaccine lobby, and they supported the Wakefield research. Dr Wakefield left England; in 2012 he works in Texas, USA, for anti-vaccine lobbies.
authors: Faculté de médecine Paris-Sud 11, département de santé publique, d'évaluation et d'information médicale, 94277 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France. hervemaisonneuve@gmail.com
authors: Hervé
authors: H
authors: Maisonneuve
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Floret
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000209:etiology*; D003092:Colitis / Q000209:etiology; D005602:France; D005607:Fraud; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D011634:Public Health; D012107:Research Design; D012180:Retraction of Publication as Topic; D015871:Scientific Misconduct / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D035501:Uncertainty; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine