Wakefield fraud

Wakefield fraud refers to the actions of Dr. Andrew Wakefield, a former medical researcher who published a 1998 study suggesting a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. His research was later found to be fundamentally flawed, with data falsified and ethical breaches involved. The study was discredited and retracted, but it caused widespread vaccine misinformation, leading to decreased vaccination rates and preventable disease outbreaks. Wakefield was also stripped of his medical license for professional misconduct. His case is a prominent example of scientific dishonesty with serious public health consequences.