Dr. Andrew Wakefield is up before the General Medical Council about his “research” into the link between the MMR vaccine and autism. That there is no link and that he falsified (at very best) his research is why he’s there and could possibly lose his licence to practise medicine.

Here’s a newspaper report of what is going on. Here’s an extremely angry doctor shouting at the way in which those reports are being composed. Here’s an even angrier doctor (NSFW, he uses bad words indeed).

And here’s the cause of the anger. Down towards the bottom of the post.

Wakefield published a paper that said there was a connection between the measles part of the MMR vaccine and autism. As a result, the vaccination rate dropped and several children are now dead and many more have been hospitalised.

Yet, and here’s the crucial point. Wakefield knew that his research was wrong. He knew that there was in fact (and it was a crucial part of his theory) no evidence of measles in these children at all.

He is almost certain to lose his licence.

Shame, couldn’t happen to a nicer chap.