The controversy on the subject began when British researcher Andrew Wakefield, MB, hypothesized in a 1998 piece in The Lancet that autism may be triggered by viruses in the MMR vaccines. Wakefield reiterated his findings for the hearing. But other researchers and physicians said that subsequent studies have not established any such link. Prober suggested that Burton's interest in autism is clouding his judgment. His degree of objectivity is a little marred by the concern that he has, appropriately so, for his family members.
Science is meant to be as objective as possible.
Burton, for his part, sought to cast doubts on the objectivity of some of those who asserted that there was no vaccine-autism link. Paul Offit, MD, chief of infectious diseases at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, testified that there is no evidence that vaccines cause autism. But Burton pointed out that Offit is paid by the drug firm Merck to educate physicians about vaccines. Merck manufactures the MMR vaccine. The process of vaccine development, testing, licensure, and follow-up is an extremely complicated process that has probably more checks and balances than the government.