MMR Vaccine and Autism: A Critical Discussion - Bioscience Education

This essay critically examines the claim that the MMR vaccine causes autism, addressing the controversy sparked by Andrew Wakefield's study, which suggested a link between the vaccine and autism spectrum disorder. The essay discusses the introduction of the MMR vaccine in the UK, the subsequent concerns raised by Wakefield's research, and the later investigations that found his findings to be fraudulent. It highlights the impact of Wakefield's publication on public perception, leading to a decline in MMR vaccination rates. Furthermore, the essay references studies by Brian Deer and others that refuted the link between the MMR vaccine and autism, emphasizing the importance of evidence-based public health decisions. The conclusion reinforces that MMR vaccination does not cause autism, citing the debunked Wakefield studies, while also acknowledging lingering parental doubts despite scientific consensus. Desklib provides a platform for students to access this essay and other resources for academic support.

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Autism
MMR vaccine helps in preventing mumps, measles and rubella. Donaldson, Rutter and
Scally (2011, p. 78) affirms that, this vaccine was introduced in 1988 to replace a single vaccine
for each disease in the UK. Children in the UK were given this vaccine as part of their
immunization program to prevent them from getting these diseases. However, worries about the
dangers of the vaccine came after a study conducted by Wakefield which showed that it is
connected with autism. Autism is a condition whereby a person develops a broad range of
conditions characterized by impairment in social skills and repetitive behaviors. It is in most
cases referred to as autism spectrum disorder due to a wide range of symptoms.
A research conducted by a group of British scientist in 1995 showed that people who
received measles -mumps-rubella vaccine were more likely to get bowel disease than those not
vaccinated (Stewart and Akunjee 2016, p. 90). One of these researchers went into a further study
to know the relationship between the vaccine and the bowl diseases and speculated that the
insistent infection with the vaccine virus caused distraction in the intestinal tissue which in turn
led to neuropsychiatric diseases which is referred to as autism.
Moreover, in 1998 Wakefield together with other researchers published a case study in
lancet saying that they found evidence about the relationship between MMR vaccine and autism
in not less than 12 cases they researched (Godlee, Smith and Marcovitch 2011, p. 23). In this
case, they found that children who had received MMR vaccination of measles virus had started
exhibiting autism symptoms. Wakefield then suspended the use of MMR in favor of a single
antigen measles vaccine.
People reacted immediately to the Wakefield’s publication because the press people
widely covered the news and threatened them about the MMR vaccination. Due to this
publication, many parents completely abandoned the MMR vaccination and this made its
demand rate to go down in the United States and Britain.
However, over the next 12 years the relationship between autism and MMR vaccination
was studied again by Brian Deer and other researchers and they found out that Wakefield’s
findings were fraudulent (The Editors of the Lancet, 2010). They claimed that he wanted to file a

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case for the manufactures to be banned from giving out vaccination so that the vaccine he
introduced in 1997 that is single- antigen vaccination may prevail the market.
Brian Deer conducted a study which was published by Wakefield about the 12 children
and found that what was in the lancet was totally different from the results. The lancet paper
claimed that at least six children who received MMR vaccination had these autism symptoms
while in real sense no single child had them. Brian Deer then told the parents about the false
statement published by Wakefield about the condition of the children and encouraged them not
to pay attention to it.
Although the studies showed that MMR vaccination does not cause autism, many parents
were still in doubt and criticized the research. They argued that although the vaccine cannot
increase autism at the population level, it might be dangerous to a child who has an increased
risk of autism. In conclusion, MMR vaccination does not cause autism because Wakefield
studies were researched again by Deer and found that they were false.

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References
Donaldson, L.J., Rutter, P. and Scally, G. (2015). Donaldsons' Essential Public Health, Fourth
Edition.
Godlee F, Smith J and Marcovitch H (2011). Wakefield's article linking MMR vaccine and
autism was fraudulent. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.c7452
Stewart, A. and Akunjee, M. (2016). Basic Statistics and Epidemiology a Practical Guide, Fourth
Edition.
The Editors of the Lancet (2010). Retraction—Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific
colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60175-4