Medical Discipline Record

United Kingdom ยท Physician, gastroenterology (research)

Andrew Wakefield: medical regulator decision

Decision, 24 May 2010Name erased from the medical register, following a finding of serious professional misconduct. The panel's written decision of 24 May 2010 ordered that his name be "erased from the register of medical practitioners".1,2,3,4

General Medical Council (GMC), Fitness to Practise Panel

What the panel found

In January 2010 the GMC panel found him guilty of dishonesty and irresponsibility, according to the BMJ. At the sanction stage on 24 May 2010 the panel found serious professional misconduct and said erasure was "the only sanction that is appropriate to protect patients", as reported by the BMJ. The GMC said he had "brought the medical profession into disrepute", as reported by Arab News.2,4,3

Response

He has always defended his work and has accused those who argued against him of making "unfounded and unjust" allegations, according to RTE. He said the investigation was an effort to "discredit and silence" him, as quoted by Arab News.3,4

Appeal and later events

He initially appealed to the High Court but later abandoned his appeal, as recorded in paragraph 1 of the 2012 High Court judgment Walker-Smith v General Medical Council.1

Status now

Erased from the UK medical register. Reports at the time said he lived and worked in the United States and that the ruling did not affect his ability to practise outside the UK.1,3,4

This site covers only doctors whose cases were widely reported and decided in published rulings. Each record states the decision exactly as the body made it, and any appeal or later change.

Sources

  1. High Court of England and Wales, The National Archives Find Case Law, Walker-Smith v General Medical Council [2012] EWHC 503 (Admin) (7 March 2012)
  2. The BMJ, Wakefield is struck off for the serious and wide-ranging findings against him (24 May 2010)
  3. RTE News, MMR vaccine scare doctor struck off (24 May 2010)
  4. Arab News (Maria Cheng), UK bans doctor who linked autism to vaccine (24 May 2010)