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Wakefield sues BMJ over MMR articles

BMJ 2012; 344 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e310 (Published 10 January 2012) Cite this as: BMJ 2012;344:e310

Rapid Response:

Re: Wakefield sues BMJ over MMR articles

I note from BMJ's statement regarding the Wakefield libel suit reported in the Guardian in January [1]:

"Despite the findings of the GMC's Fitness to Practice Panel and his co-authors having publicly retracted the causation interpretation put forward by the Lancet Paper, it would appear from the Claim filed at court that Mr Wakefield still stands by the accuracy of the Lancet paper and his conclusion therein, thereby compounding his previously found misconduct."

In view of the fact that Sir John Mitting in the High Court has now entirely overturned the findings of the GMC regarding the Lancet paper, BMJ may like to consider whether they have not built on sand [2].

[1] Ian Sample, 'Andrew Wakefield sues BMJ for claiming MMR study was fraudulent' Guardian 5 January http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jan/05/andrew-wakefield-sues-bmj-mmr

[2] Prof John Walker-Smith vs GMC before Mr Justice Mitting, judgement 7 March 2012 http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2012/503.rtf

Competing interests: Son was a patient of Prof Walker-Smith

08 March 2012
John Stone
UK Editor
AgeofAutism.com
London N22