GMC resumes inquiry into Dr Wakefield

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http://www.imt.ie/news/2009/11/gmc_resumes_inquiry_into_dr_wa.html

GMC resumes inquiry into Dr Wakefield

Dara Gantly

The General Medical Council (GMC) in the UK is due to resume its public inquiry

into Dr Wakefield next week.

The GMC's Fitness to Practise Panel has set aside 25 days for this latest

session, which starts on November 19 and is due to conclude on December 23.

Together with Prof - and Prof Simon Murch, Dr Wakefield is being

investigated over allegations of serious professional misconduct in relation to

a research study involving young children from 1996-98, published in the Lancet,

which suggested a link between autism and the MMR vaccine.

Vaccination rates fell sharply after Dr Wakefield questioned the safety of MMR,

raising fears of a measles epidemic.

The GMC has stated that it `cannot arbitrate between competing scientific

theories generated in the course of medical research'. However, it is inquiring

into allegations that the three practitioners undertook the research without

proper ethical approval, failed to conduct the research in accordance with the

application submitted to the ethics committee, and failed to treat the children

admitted into the study in accordance with the terms of the approval.

It is alleged that the performance of such investigations as colonoscopies and

lumbar punctures was also contrary to the clinical interests of the children.

The GMC is also inquired into allegations that Dr Wakefield failed to disclose

his involvement in various MMR litigations, his receipt of funding from the

Legal Aid Board and his involvement in a patent relating to a new vaccine to the

editor of the Lancet, which was contrary to his duties as a senior author of the

paper.