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Measles outbreak: How a decades old, fraudulent anti-vaccine study still affects public health
https://globalnews.ca/news/4047765/measles-anti-vaccine-autism-study/A measles outbreak is spreading across Europe and health experts say it’s because of a steadily growing anti-vaccination movement.
Reported cases of the highly contagious and potentially deadly virus almost quadrupled in Europe in 2017 (21,000 cases) compared to the year before (5,273 cases), with the highest rates in Italy, Romania and Ukraine, according to the World Health Organization.
And the reason parents may not be vaccinating their children could be due to a widely discredited research paper that was published 20 years ago this week, experts say.
In 1998, the journal Lancet published former British doctor Andrew Wakefield’s article, which linked the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism. In his study, Wakefield said 12 children showed that the three vaccines taken together could alter immune systems causing brain damage.
The publication of the study led to a widespread increase in the number of parents choosing not to vaccinate their children for fear of its link to autism.
However, his findings were widely rejected. Dozens of studies tried to replicate the results, but couldn’t, as his work was based on a tiny sample. The British Medical Journal called his research “fraudulent,” and on Feb. 2, 2010, the Lancet formally retracted the study, due to serious flaws and an undisclosed conflict of interest. The British medical authorities stripped Wakefield of his license in May 2010.
Reported cases of the highly contagious and potentially deadly virus almost quadrupled in Europe in 2017 (21,000 cases) compared to the year before (5,273 cases), with the highest rates in Italy, Romania and Ukraine, according to the World Health Organization.
And the reason parents may not be vaccinating their children could be due to a widely discredited research paper that was published 20 years ago this week, experts say.
In 1998, the journal Lancet published former British doctor Andrew Wakefield’s article, which linked the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism. In his study, Wakefield said 12 children showed that the three vaccines taken together could alter immune systems causing brain damage.
The publication of the study led to a widespread increase in the number of parents choosing not to vaccinate their children for fear of its link to autism.
However, his findings were widely rejected. Dozens of studies tried to replicate the results, but couldn’t, as his work was based on a tiny sample. The British Medical Journal called his research “fraudulent,” and on Feb. 2, 2010, the Lancet formally retracted the study, due to serious flaws and an undisclosed conflict of interest. The British medical authorities stripped Wakefield of his license in May 2010.
Sid
2 replies
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Before she was allowed to take classes. But this was here in New York. These insane anti vac people are responsible for an epidemic. 