The Lancet Tries to Unring a Bell

That rang 12 years ago.

Yesterday, editors of The Lancet officially retracted publication of a 12-year-old debunked study that linked the MMR vaccine to autism, according to the journal's web site, numerous news sources, and countless blogs. The study is believed to be responsible for declining vaccination rates among children in the United Kingdom and the resurgence of measles.

The journal's decision comes on the heels of an announcement last week from the UK's General Medical Council, which found that 3 of the article's authors—Andrew Wakefield, John Walker-Smith, and Simon Murch—did not act in the best interests of the study's 12 pediatric enrollees. Wakefield, in particular, was cited for "callous disregard" toward his subjects, by plying them with a few pounds in exchange for blood samples at a birthday party. The GMC's report is provided courtesy of Kathleen Siedel at her neurodiversity blog.

The Council's investigation of Wakefield and others was prompted by the investigative reporting of Brian Deer from The Sunday Times. Beginning in 2004, Deer alleged that Wakefield not only held significant financial conflicts of interest, but that he actually manufactured data. Responding to Deer's initial investigation, 10 of the study's 13 authors (including Walker-Smith and Murch) retracted their "interpretation" in a letter to The Lancet.

So where does a discredited UK doctor go? Austin, Texas, evidently. Wakefield is Executive Director of The Thoughtful House Center for Children, a questionable research and treatment center for children with autism. However, Wakefield does not have a license to practice medicine in the state, according to the online database of the Texas Medical Board.