Study Tying Vaccine to Autism Retracted

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704022804575041212437364420.html?mod=WSJ_hp_mostpop_emailed

The study that first suggested a link between vaccines and autism has been retracted by the British medical journal that published it. The withdrawal supports the scientific evidence that vaccinations don't cause autism.

The 1998 study of 12 children caused worry that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, particularly the preservative often used, thimerosal, caused autism. Because of this, many parents decided not to immunize their children.

A widely cited 2004 statistical review of existing studies by the Institute of Medicine concluded that there was no casual link between the MMR vaccine and autism. Wendy Fournier, president of the National Autism Association said the it is "possible" that the MMR vaccine causes autism, but "the science is not there in terms of the mechanism."

The British Journal that originally published the study, The Lancet, decided to issue a complete retraction after an independent regulator for doctors in the U.K. concluded last week that the study was flawed. The General Medical Council's report on 3 of the researchers found evidence that some of their actions were conducted for experimental purposes, not clinical care, and without ethics approval.