Innovation UK > News > Innovation News > Lancet retracts autism study

Medical journal The Lancet has retracted a flawed study linking the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism and bowel disease.

It comes after Dr Andrew Wakefield, the lead researcher in the 1998 paper, was ruled last week to have broken research rules by the General Medical Council (GMC).

The GMC concluded in its report that three researchers led by Andrew Wakefield at the Royal Free Hospital in London had carried out invasive, unnecessary tests, failed to act in the best interest of the children and misused public funds.

It has been stated that Wakefield also did not disclose that he was involved in legal claims against the vaccine makers, bringing about a conflict of interest.

The study, involving 12 children aged 10 and under, found bowel disease and developmental disorders in previously normal children. Their parents reported symptoms in eight of the children after they were vaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella.

The Lancet said it now accepted claims made by the researchers were "false" and added "We fully retract this paper from the published record."

Wakefield, who now lives and works in the US, said in a statement: ?The allegations against me and against my colleagues are both unfounded and unjust.?