What Is The MMR Scare We Hear So Much About?

It was back in 1998 that we first heard the brouhaha about an alleged link between the MMR vaccine and child autism.

This was a claim made by British doctor Andrew Wakefield, who at the time, made the claim on 60 Minutes that he could no longer recommend the vaccine in good conscience to parents. Consequent upon this announcement of his, there was a very vocal anti vaccination movement in the US.

Now, however it turns out that the doctor, who now lives in Austin Texas, had some very different reasons for publishing his finding. Findings that we now know to be quite bogus!

According to this LA Times report his research has been discredited and it has been concluded that it was conducted in a dishonest and irresponsible manner. He failed to disclose relevant details to parents of the children and he collected blood samples unethically as well.