spiked-central | Letter | Richard Horton

According to Dr Michael Fitzpatrick, Andrew Wakefield has somehow amassed incredible persuasive powers, to accomplish the following things (MMR: 'A reparation, of sorts', 21 September).

He has charmed Richard Horton, editor of an prominent medical journal, to promote exotic and completely falsified theories about MMR vaccines and autism, despite having the scientific credibility of a Spice Girl. He has duped thousands of misplaced, guilt-wracked parents of autistic children, who desperately seek a scapegoat with deep pockets, to cover their expenses and assuage their ignorance. These parents mindlessly and selfishly follow Wakefield's lead, against the entire public health establishment, and against the pharmaceutical industry.

To top it all off, according to Dr Fitzpatrick, Wakefield somehow acquired powers to beguile the British press, the BBC, and hordes of others in the media, to believe in his theories. Dr Fitzpatrick would have us believe that Wakefield, through his practice of treating children with intestinal disorders, obtained such skills to accomplish such fantastic feats. The reality is that Wakefield challenged some extremely powerful interests, at great personal cost, in order to tell his truth. He is a whistleblower.

Lenny Schafer, publisher and editor, Schafer Autism Report, USA