Fitaloon at MicroShaft

Dr Andrew Wakefield, the expert at the centre of the MMR controversy,

“failed in his duties as a responsible consultant” and did not act in the best interests of children involved in his research,

the General Medical Council (GMC) ruled today.

Wakefield also acted dishonestly and was misleading and irresponsible in the way he described research which was later published in The Lancet medical journal, the GMC said.

Maybe at last people will see the damage this one person managed to make to the research into the true causes of Autism. He set back research in this area by a number of  years as funds and resources were diverted in investigating any possible links.

I assume the GMC can still sentence him to be hung, drawn and quartered in the interests of Medical Science.

via MMR doctor ‘failed to act in interests of children’ | Science | guardian.co.uk.

According to the BBC:

Latest autism figures should dispel any fears about the MMR jab being linked to the condition, say experts.

The NHS Information Centre found one in every hundred adults living in England has autism, which is identical to the rate in children.

If the vaccine was to blame, autism rates among children should be higher because the MMR has only been available since the early 1990s, the centre says.

This is the first time the rate in adults has been evaluated.

Tim Straughan, chief executive of The NHS Information Centre, said: “This landmark report is the first major study into the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders among adults to be carried out anywhere in the world.

“While the sample size was small and any conclusions need to be tempered with caution, the report suggests that, despite popular perceptions, rates of autism are not increasing, with prevalence among adults in line with that among children.

“It also suggests that, among adults, rates of autism remain broadly constant across age groups.

“The findings do not support suggestions of a link between the MMR vaccine and the development of this condition.”

Concern over the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine was sparked by a paper published in The Lancet in 1998 by the now discredited  Dr Andrew Wakefield.

I’m glad to her this bit of hogwash has a much more final conclusion. All this has done is take away funding from the proper study of Autism and put it into looking at these supposed links. Now at least the funding can go back to looking at causes and possible solutions for Autism and helping support those with Autism and their Families.

If you want proper information on Autism please go to the National Autistic Society website.

BBC NEWS | Health | Autism rates back MMR jab safety.