Andrew Wakefield jokes about purchasing blood from children at a birthday party

This page is research from an investigation by Brian Deer for the UK's Channel 4 Television and The Sunday Times of London into a campaign linking the MMR children's vaccine with autism. | Go to part I: The Lancet scandal | Go to part II: The Wakefield factor

Those concerned over the ethics of research by Andrew Wakefield may find little comfort in an anecdote he told a parents meeting called by the Mind Institute in Sacramento on May 20 1999. He talked of how blood (which has never been bought or sold in the UK) was purchased at his son's birthday party - talking about paying children as young as four £5 each, and of them suffering as a result

Hear Wakefield's anecdote in MP3 audio

Dr Andrew Wakefield: "So we take sera from the blood and we look for measles antibodies, rubella is controlled, mumps and cytomegalovirus, again, common viral averages -- 22 affected children, children with autistic enterocolitis; 32 healthy controls. 

"Again for those who’ve heard the story, you can put your hands over and you can take time out here, but this is again my son’s birthday party, 32 healthy controls. And you line them up - with parental informed consent, of course. They all get paid £5, which doesn’t translate into many dollars I’m afraid.

"But, and, they put their arms out and they have the blood taken. All entirely voluntary. [laughter]. "And when we did this at that party, two children fainted, one threw up over his mother [laughter].

"One child, who’s my son’s best friend, Ollie, he put his arm out, very bold, had the tourniquet put on, and then went very pale and sort of … wait till next year.  He was nine at the time, and his four year old sister came up, stuck her arm out, had the blood taken, took her five pounds and went off. 

"And (NAME) burst into tears. Ruined his birthday party.  But people said to me, Andrew, look, you know, you can’t do this, people, children won’t come back to you. [laughter]. I said you’re wrong, I said: 'Listen, we live in a market economy. Next year they’ll want ten pounds!'"

In December 2005, Dr Wakefield stated in reply over this extraordinary affair that he had not been present when the blood was purchased; that parents and children had been "asked in advance for their consent"; that parents were present throughout; that the blood had been "taken discretely in a room at the location of the birthday party". He said that his "anecdote was exaggerated since, in particular, none of the children concerned was as young as four, children were not 'lined up', and no child burst into tears, fainted or vomited." Dr Wakefield said that he regretted telling the anecdote.