Dr. Andrew Wakefield (controversial figure)

Dr. Andrew Wakefield is a former doctor who published a study in 1998 suggesting a link between the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella) and autism. His research was later discredited due to ethical concerns, methodological flaws, and undisclosed financial conflicts of interest. Subsequent investigations found the data was manipulated, and the study was retracted. Despite this, his claims fueled vaccine hesitancy, leading to decreased vaccination rates and outbreaks of preventable diseases. Wakefield’s work is widely regarded as discredited and illustrates the importance of scientific rigor and integrity in medical research.