You might want to read this today about Dr. Andrew Wakefield, a scientist who caused much of the controversy about the MMR vaccine and his claim of a link with Autism.

The problem with this is that it comes 12 years after his initial publication (13 authors on the publication, the journal was the Lancet and now 10 of the authors have retracted the paper) and by now, there is firmly a link, or question of a link between MMR and Autism planted in people’s minds.

Naturally, this has led to a decrease in uptake of the MMR vaccine and unquestionably the unnecessary deaths of innocent children who might otherwise have been safely vaccinated and who would be alive today.

That a scientist can hide data from other scientists is nothing new and that graduate students go along with the dishonesty of their supervisors is nothing new.  As a graduate student, you are in a bit of a bind - if you go against this person who is in charge of your career, then where does this leave you? You might never graduate, your parents, friends and family will wonder about it and you don’t get the qualification and career that you dreamed about.  So, stay quiet and get your qualification and move on…

But now, do you have blood on your hands?

Parents who were spooked by your publication refused vaccination for their children as a consequence?

Parents now refuse other vaccines because “if there is  aproblem with one vaccine, then there might be a problem with them all”…

It is a lot of responsibility to place on the shoulders of a young and inexperienced scientist.

This is why Science needs tight regulation - to stop rogue scientists.

Fortunately, they ALL get caught out.

You see, one of the most important facets of the scientific method is that science is reproducible and also that it is reproduced.  Every paper I publish is met with emails requesting copies of my data, details of the analysis method, etc.  You can get away with nothing!!

And this is how it should be.