The original scientific work linking vaccines to autism came from a 1998 study published in The Lancet by Andrew Wakefield and colleagues on 12 (TWELVE!!!!) children who had previously seemed to be developing normally, however later came to enter "developmental regression" associated in time with a possible environmental trigger, in this case, vaccines. Of course, even middle or high school students are taught that in science, "Correlation does not equal causation."

After being widely criticized for their interpretations and in the face of much larger studies (involving HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of children), finding NO link between MMR vaccinations and autism, 10 of the original 13 authors on that 1998 paper published a retraction of interpretation in 2004.

Dr. Wakefield has stood by his work, even after the paper was fully retracted by The Lancet and after recent investigations have accused Dr. Wakefield of data manipulation and fraud. This saga is still not over, as Dr. Wakefield has battled in the libel-friendly UK courts against those who have investigated his work.