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A study linking a common childhood vaccine with autism sparked worldwide fears among parents when it was published in 1998, leading many to decide against inoculating their youngsters.
The Lancet, a prestigious British medical journal, last week retracted the flawed research paper, which linked the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to the onset of symptoms associated with autism. Read this Globe story for more details.
Ten of the study’s 14 co-authors renounced its conclusions several years ago and The Lancet has previously said it should not have published the research, which has been criticized for flawed research methods, serious conflicts of interest and ethics breaches. As well, no large, credible studies have been able to replicate lead author and gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield’s findings.
Canadian Medical Association Journal editor Paul Hébert joined us for an earlier online discussion about The Lancet's retraction and the persistent suspicions of a link between vaccines and autism.
Dr. Hébert is a critical care physician at The Ottawa Hospital and a senior scientist in the clinical epidemiology program at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. He is also a professor in the University of Ottawa’s department of medicine.
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