I obtained this book from interlibrary loan which is why it is not a verified purchase. Written by Andrew Wakefield with an Afterword co-written by James Moody, Esquire, and a Postscript also written by Moody, it is an eye-opener about some vaccines and vaccine policy (pages 104 and 226, for example), and a cautionary tale about the current state of some healthcare. While he was employed by London's Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, Wakefield and other physicians responded to parent requests to investigate the gastrointestinal problems of their children, several also having exhibited symptoms of developmental delay and/or autism after receiving the MMR vaccine (Chapter Two). With a "multidisciplinary clinical collaboration" (page 146), and using these parents' observations as a starting point, Wakefield and colleagues carried out the appropriate clinical procedures and eventually published the results as a "case series" report, not as a research study to test an hypothesis as falsely claimed by some of his critics and detractors (pages 11 and 242). The report was published in the journal The Lancet on February 28. 1998. It explicitly pointed out that, as Wakefield states in this book, "...no causal association was claimed" between use of the MMR vaccine and autism (page 11). Wakefield also writes that the report's authors state clearly that they "...did not prove an association between measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and the syndrome described" (page 12). Still, events that followed led to proceedings by Britain's General Medical Council (GMC) Fitness to Practice Panel where Wakefield was falsely accused of manipulating autism data, among other false allegations. Consequently, Wakefield lost his job and his medical license.
In his book Wakefield specifically states that he is not "anti-vaccine" but that safety must come first (page 5). After researching scientific papers on the use of the MMR vaccine, he also criticizes the lack of quality safety studies having been conducted for its use (pages 70, 73, and 226). Wakefield documents the actions of the then Dean of the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine (Chapters Three and Six), the then editor of the journal The Lancet (Chapters Seven and Eight), and the writer of articles in The Sunday Times containing inaccuracies and false allegations (Chapter Twelve), all contributing to discrediting the Lancet report.
In Chapter Ten Wakefield points out the perils of medical specialists' operating within their own comfortable, but sometimes isolating, specialties of medical knowledge, leading to "...antagonism engendered by different perceptions of a condition, sometimes within the same medical specialty but more commonly between or among different medical disciplines" (page 143). Is autism a genetic disease, a psychiatric condition, or a gut-brain disorder? Wakefield argues for the latter gastrointestinal approach (page 44) (and it is revealing that now this approach is receiving much research attention). He also points out that studies of vaccine safety and of associations between certain viruses and autism have been published in the past (page 140; and Timeline, pages 250, 251, 254, 255, 256, 259, 262, and 263, under the Timeline heading of "Relevant scientific publications other than from Royal Free"). In his Timeline of events (pages 250 through 265), Wakefield documents much that is written in the book's text. The Timeline headings of: "Date," "Events at the Royal Free," "Events at the UK Department of Health," "Events at The Lancet," "Relevant scientific publications other than from Royal Free," "Evens in the national media," and "Events at the GMC" allow one to easily locate relevant facts.
Wakefield and James Moody caution, on page 245 of the book's Afterword, that given what happened to Wakefield, "Doctors just won't take the risk of a protracted investigation..." that later may be used against them or may cause them to lose their medical license. Rather, they "...will settle in to the same mediocrity of doling out medicine 'by the books.' " Reading this narrative of what happened to a doctor challenging medical orthodoxy when the latter is placed above patient safety, requires concentration and attention to detail, but the account is gripping. There exist many scientific studies on important medical topics, studies funded by various organizations and industries, and which doctors and their patients often don't have the background or the time to read and digest. Still, most patients must rely upon the accuracy and timelines of the learning curves of those whom they do choose to be their healthcare providers. Andrew Wakefield is a trained gastroenterologist who upped his medical learning curve by doing the necessary research, but in doing so he also, figuratively speaking, stepped over some traditional boundaries separating the bodies of knowledge of some medical specialties from one another. He also challenged some basic tenets of many immunologists, virologists, and other medical experts, as well as those of the vaccine industry, and he has paid a price. This book's text and the Timeline which accompanies it tell the story, and the Timeline also challenges those whose inaccuracies contributed to the loss of Wakefield's medical license. Perhaps those critics can suggest changes to the contents of Wakefield's Timeline with their own factual documentation, if they have any. If they can not or will not, then that fact alone supports the accuracy of Wakefield's account. For the sakes of patients and those other physicians willing to listen to their patients or their advocates and then wishing to advise them based upon the best medical knowledge available to them without fear of punishment and, perhaps, regardless of any harmful medical dogma, Andrew Wakefield's license to practice medicine should be reinstated, and soon.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Flip to back Flip to front
Follow the Author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
•••A precious, conscious soul, Dr. Wakefield is one of the greatest men of our generation •••
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2016
Dr Wakefield is a modern day Saint. His story is an age old one in the history of mankind. In a world of evil men he has been nailed to the cross only to keep fighting for humanity in a world gone mad. He is a human being of high consciousness, intellect & heart w/ deep passion for the well being of the worlds children. I highly reccomend this book.
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2016
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
Heather Bosworth
Definitely a force for good
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 27, 2018Frank Wright
Wakefield is such an amazing mind for this time
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on September 1, 2016
