Andrew Wakefield Banned in Britain

One of the doctors who shook the world up back in 1998 has been banned in Britain. Andrew Wakefield, along with several of his colleagues, published a paper citing the danger of the MMR childhood vaccine. He claimed the vaccine could be blamed for autism in kids and parents should reconsider before submitting their child to the toxic chemicals in the vaccine. He was paid to advise lawyers for parents seeking compensation for their child’s autism diagnosis.

Britain’s General Medical Council made the decision to ban the doctor from practicing in their country, citing serious professional misconduct. Many doctors around the world directly blame Wakefield for the decline in MMR vaccinations and the rise in measles outbreaks in Western countries. The council was influenced by evidence that Wakefield drew blood from children attending his son’s birthday party as the basis for his research. The research had been reviewed by other doctors but all have recanted their support of the findings. Numerous other studies have been completed that disprove Wakefield‘s theory.

The medical journal Lancet, where the paper was originally published, officially retracted the story a few months ago. Wakefield had moved to the US shortly after his paper was published 12 years ago. He helped start an autism clinic in Texas, but recently quit. He still garners support from thousands of parents in the US, who believe his findings to be accurate. Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey also publicly support Wakefield and called the effort  to discredit his theory a smear campaign. Wakefield says he will repeal the council’s decision.