#158-Brian Deer: A tale of scientific fraud—Andrew Wakefield & the belief that vaccines cause autism

Summary

In this podcast episode, the host interviews a guest about the controversy surrounding the belief that vaccines cause autism. They discuss the history of this belief, which arose in the late 1990s, and the role of Andrew Wakefield, a former physician who claimed to have found a link between the measles virus and Crohn's Disease. The guest explains that Wakefield's research was flawed and that he had a fanatical obsession with proving his hypothesis, which ultimately led to his discredited study linking vaccines and autism. The discussion also touches on the importance of scientific rigor and the dangers of believing in misinformation.

The conversation then focuses on Dr. Andrew Wakefield's flawed character as he never questioned his hypothesis that measles virus was the cause of Crohn's Disease, despite conflicting results from other researchers using different methods. The speaker notes that medical schools do not provide enough scientific training. The scientific community had mixed views on Wakefield's work, with some considering it incompetent and others accusing him of fraud. The conversation highlights the importance of using appropriate controls and being open to conflicting evidence in scientific research.

The context discusses the origins of the anti-vax movement and how it all started with a legal aid fund that funded people who couldn't afford to sue drug companies. Andrew Wakefield was hired to ensure that a lawsuit was launched against the manufacturers of MMR vaccine. They made a grant application to the legal aid board in June 1996. The paper published in February 1998 was a 12 child case series, which claimed that the MMR vaccine caused autism. The paper was published in the Lancet, a prestigious journal in general medicine. The procedures that these children went through were not approved by an Institutional Review Board. The paper created a lot of controversy and fueled the anti-vax movement.

The context discusses a controversial medical study conducted at the Royal Free Hospital in London, where children were brought in from far away locations to undergo medical procedures. The study was led by Dr. Andrew Wakefield, who was looking for a link between measles virus and inflammatory bowel disease or autism. The most important pathology was conducted by John O'Leary, who was looking for the measles virus in the small intestines of the children. However, the study did not find any evidence of the measles virus in the children. Wakefield's critics have questioned the ethics of the study and the validity of its findings.

The context also describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) process used to identify nucleotides, the building blocks of life, and how it has evolved over time. The PCR process involves splitting DNA into two strands and then using an enzyme to create a complementary second ladder. The process is repeated, creating exponentially increasing nucleotides that can be read using primers and probes. The context also discusses the use of PCR in identifying measles virus in children with developmental issues, which led to controversy over the source of the virus. The context emphasizes the sensitivity of PCR and the need for caution in interpreting results, especially in clinical settings.

Finally, the context discusses the fraudulent behavior of Andrew Wakefield, a former doctor who published a study linking vaccines to autism. The consequences of his actions were severe, including losing his medical license and having his study retracted. The article also mentions Wakefield's later attempts to vindicate himself by accusing others of fraud, which were also found to be untrue. Overall, the article highlights the importance of scientific integrity and the dangers of fraudulent behavior in scientific research.