He fabricated data to support his theory that the MMR vaccine and autism were correlated. He had to withdraw the study after a number of other groups couldn't replicate his findings. It eventually came to light that he was working directly for a group that had launched a huge class action lawsuit against the vaccine manufacturer.
He has been barred from practising medicine and The Lancet withdrew his paper after further investigation calling it “the most appalling catalog and litany of some of the most terrible behavior in any research.” The editors of the British Medical Journal also described Wakefield’s research as an “elaborate fraud.”
http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-02-05/how-did-discredited-study-create-us-anti-vaccine-madness
Yea, that's Wakefield and autism. I'm not referring to him...as you point out the autism claim was disproved and I think he was in cahoots with lawyers too in some money scheme to sue the vaccine maker, wasn't he?. I refer to 2 other Dr. who said the MMR vaccine caused various serious side-effects (though not autism). One of them was dragged through the mud publicly. He eventually sued the board over this and was vindicated and won. IIRC, he questioned whether the Rubella vaccine was absolutely necessary in the combo vaccine.
Just curious that Japan also had issue with MMR vaccine and side effects not seen in individual injections.
In the end, it kinda reminded me of the how "Global Warming" was mis-termed and essentially became a mockery ie. "There's no global warming, it's snowing out!". When these Drs in separate countries said "Be cautious with MMR" turned into "Don't vaccinate your kids!!"
