MMR researchers withdraw claim
pharmafile | March 4, 2004 | News story | |Â Â MMRÂ
Ten doctors who co-authored the controversial UK study which linked the MMR jab to autism have withdrawn their support for the conclusion.
The study, led by Dr Andrew Wakefield and published in 1998 never proved a link between the jab and rising rates of autism, but sparked public fears which have seen vaccination rates drop dramatically.
Only three doctors including Dr Wakefield have not taken part in the retraction, but those that have say “much uncertainty” remains about the nature of the intestinal problems observed in children with autism.
In a statement published in The Lancet the researchers said: “We wish to make it clear that in this paper no causal link was established between the MMR vaccine and autism as the data was insufficient.”
The retraction follows the revelation last month that Dr Wakefield was being paid to carry out a second study to look for evidence to support a legal action by parents of children allegedly damaged by the vaccine, manufactured by Aventis Pasteur MSD and GlaxoSmithKline.
The Lancet, which published the original paper said it would not have carried the research if the conflict of interest had been known.
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