foodconsumer.org: Lancet retracts paper on vaccine-autism link

Lancet retracts paper on vaccine-autism link
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admin on 02/04/2010 16:17:00
 
The Lancet, a British medicla journal, on Feb 2 retracted a paper on a study
that links MMR vaccines to autism in some children.
The study of 12 children led by Dr Anrew J Wakefield and a dozen of other
doctors reported citing the parents' accounts that the measles, mupms, and
rubella vaccination was associated with onset of behavioural symptoms in eight
children, measles infection in one child, and otiti media in another child.
The study was published in the Feb 28, 1998 issue.
The Lancet announced the retraction after the UK General Medical Council's
Fitness to Practise Panel  on Jan 28 ruled that "several elements of the 1998
paper by Wakefield et al are incorrect" because the paper is "contrary to the
findings of another earlier investigation".
The medical journal explained "the claims in the original paper that children
were "consecutively referred" and that investigations were "approved" by the
local ethics committee have been proven to be false. Therefore we fully retract
this paper from the published r ..."
The journal's retraction nor the GMC's judgement do not disprove the link
between the MMR vaccine and autism, according to some experts cited in media
reports.
Studies after Dr. Wakefield's paper have been reported recently that find no
association between MMR vaccine and autism.
The autism rate is still on the rise even after drug makers discontunied use of
thimerosal, a toxic mercuy compound, to preserve the pediatric vaccine.  Based
on this observation, some researchers suggested that vaccine is not the cause
for autism.
Mecury, particularly the organic form of mercury called methylmecury, is toxic
to neurons and in high doses the toxin can cause mental or behavioural
disorders.
In response to the retraction of his paper, Dr. Wakefield wrote in an email
cited by Los Angeles Times that "The allegations against me and my colleagues
are both unfounded and unjust and I invite anyone to examine the contents of
these proceedings and come to their own conclusion."
He also stated "In fact, the Lancet paper does not claim to confirm a link
between the MMR vaccine and autism. Research into that possible connection is
still ongoing."
Recent studies have shown autism may have something to do with vitamin d
deficiency.  Vitamin d plays a role in the brain development.
By Jimmy Downs