Access to Practical Nursing (APN) & Practical Nursing LibGuide 2025

In 1998, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, along with 12 other colleagues, published an article in the British medical journal The Lancet. Titled "Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children," suggested a possible correlation between the MMR vaccination and the onset of ASD.

The Wakefield article significantly influenced the modern discourse on vaccinations and immediately had a profound impact on vaccination rates. The MMR vaccination rate in the England and Wales dropped from 91.8% to 81%. In London, the coverage rate has fallen to less than 60%. In Ontario in August 2024 25 confirmed cases of measles were reported in Ontario.