The acceptance of Wakefield’s study in as prominent an outlet as the Lancet will go down as one of the worst decisions in the history of scientific publication. There could hardly be a more concrete example of the importance of reliable science for society’s wellbeing, and of the failure of the peer-review system to screen out bad research. It brings us back once again to the issue of trust – this time, the public’s trust in science. Having your child vaccinated is an act of commission: you’re actively having something done to them, trusting that the medics are right that it’s safe.143 If a
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