20 years ago this month, Andrew Wakefield and co-authors published a paper in The Lancet suggesting a link between the MMR vaccine and autism.
Well, it was bad science on so many different levels, and the paper was retracted. In the last 20 years, all attempts to show a link between the MMR vaccine and autism have failed.
Current best evidence is that there is no link between the MMR vaccine and autism.
Moreover, measles is a terrible disease, and all children (except for the very small few for medical reasons) should receive this vaccine.
Sadly though, Wakefield's paper has wrongly influenced many parents, resulting in new measles outbreaks and deaths. Even more sadly, this same misinformation continues to be repeated (along with bad reasoning to do with conspiracy theories and individual freedoms).
This BBC radio broadcast is a very good summary of the current situation.
And if you haven't yet done so, please vaccinate your children.
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