Ask Biology Expert

Assignment

A scientist starts with an observation, does some research to develop a hypothesis, and then designs an experiment that compares some baseline group with a test group. Data are then collected to confirm or refute the hypothesis.

As you review the following study, consider whether the researchers correctly followed the scientific method.

In the late 1990s, gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield, along with a research team, set out to determine whether bowel disease caused by vaccines led to autism.

He compiled a group of 12 children who had loss of acquired skills, developmental delays in language, diarrhea, and abdominal pain-essentially, those with both bowel disease and autism. He questioned each parent about the behavior and personality of the child before the child was vaccinated with the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. He then ran tests on the children to determine the health of the gastrointestinal tract, brain, and nervous system.

His reported data (tabulated below) included that children experienced either gastrointestinal or autism-like symptoms, sometimes within a short period after being vaccinated. From these data, the researchers concluded that there was no link between autism and the MMR vaccine. Wakefield though, contradicted this conclusion and stated that the vaccine caused changes in the gastrointestinal tract of the children, which then led to autism (Wakefield, et al., 1998). Currently, he still contends that the MMR vaccine contributes to autism (Ziv, 2015).

Many researchers tried to duplicate this study and could not replicate Wakefield's results. In fact, they found no link between the vaccines, bowel disease, and autism. In the United Kingdom, the MMR vaccine was not introduced until 1988. If Wakefield's conclusions were correct, one would then expect a jump in autism cases after 1988, but this was not observed, even when hundreds of children were studied (Taylor et al., 1999). In these additional studies, children who had not been vaccinated were included as a control group, and no difference in the rates of autism was observed.

In 2011, Brian Deer reviewed Wakefield's study and all available records from the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom for these 12 children. He found that at most, two children showed symptoms days after vaccinations. At least five children showed developmental delays before being vaccinated. Six out of the 12 children may have had autism symptoms. None of the 12 children tested had all three-regressive autism, colitis, and symptoms days after vaccination.

SymptomWakefield

Wakefield NHS Records

(Deer)

Symptoms days after vaccination82?Non-specific colitis123Regressive autism96?Intestinal/autism/symptoms after vaccine120
(Wakefield, et al., 1998; Deer, 2011)

Wakefield's statements led to a worldwide panic about the safety of vaccines, but after Deer's report, Wakefield's study was retracted and his medical license was revoked for falsifying data.

Recommended: Click on the following links to review materials to enhance your knowledge of biological molecules and the scientific method and to support your analysis of Wakefield's experiment:

• Steps of the Scientific Method: A simplified explanation of how the scientific method works, and the steps taken to investigate phenomena with diagrams

• Do Vaccines Cause Autism?: A review of research demonstrating that vaccines and their components are not the cause of autism

• Fifteen years after a vaccine scare, a measles epidemic: An analysis of vaccination trends and an increase in measles cases seen in the UK

Answer the following questions:

1. What was wrong with Wakefield's study? Discuss at least 2 variables or approaches that should have been controlled or assessed.

o Consider the source of some of his data (parental memory, for example), the small sample size, and whether he considered other variables (genetics, diet, and so on) that could have resulted in symptoms in these children.

2. Discuss the importance of a control group when using the scientific method.

3. Did Wakefield deserve to be barred from medical practice?

4. What were the consequences of his overblown conclusions?

Follow these guidelines for your paper:

• Utilize at least 1 credible source to support the arguments presented in the paper. Make sure you cite appropriately within your paper, and list the reference(s) in APA format on your Reference page.

• Your paper should be 1-2 pages in length, not counting the Title page and Reference page. In accordance with APA formatting requirements, it should be double-spaced and include a running head and page numbers

References

The College of Physicians of Philadelphia. (2017, December 6). Do vaccines cause autism?

Deer, B. (2011). How the case against the MMR vaccine was fixed. BMJ, 342.

Science Buddies. (2018). Steps of the scientific method: What is the scientific method?

Taylor, B., Miller, E., Farrington, C. P., Petropoulos, M. C., Favot-Mayaud, I., Li, J., & Waight, P. A. (1999). Autism and measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine: No epidemiological evidence for a causal association. The Lancet, 353(9169), 2026-2029.

Wakefield, A. J., Murch, S. H., Anthony, A., Linnell, J., Casson, D. M., Malik, M., et al. (1998). RETRACTED: Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children. The Lancet, 351.

Ziv, S. (2015, February 10). Andrew Wakefield, father of the anti-vaccine movement, responds to the current measles outbreak for the first time. Newsweek.

Biology, Academics

  • Category:- Biology
  • Reference No.:- M92795711
  • Price:- $20

Priced at Now at $20, Verified Solution

Have any Question?


Related Questions in Biology

Case study question -case study - mary 21 years old

Case Study Question - Case Study - Mary, 21 years old, presented to the hospital emergency department with an infected laceration on her left foot. Mary was at a beach resort four days ago, when she trod on a broken glas ...

Assignment -the upper-case blue letters are the 14th exon

Assignment - The upper-case, blue letters are the 14th exon (of 20) in the Hephl1 gene in mice. The lower-case (black) letters are from the flanking introns.  The highlighted bases indicate primers that may be used to ge ...

Question - a pure strain of mendels peas dominant for all

Question - A pure strain of mendel's peas, dominant for all seven of his independently assorting genes, was testcrossed. How many different kinds of gametes could the F1 PRODUCE?

Igfbp2 rbp4 and factor d post bariatric surgeryigfbp2 what

IGFBP2/ RBP4 and Factor D Post Bariatric Surgery IGFBP2 ( what the normal physiological action in the body? And how it affectedby obesity? andpost bariatric surgery?) RBP4 (what the normal physiological action in the bod ...

Assignment on nutrition - q1 task you need to select 2

Assignment on Nutrition - Q1. Task: You need to select 2 different age groups of your choice. You will need to plan balanced meals with snacks for a day. Once you have laid out the meal plan you need to: Explain why the ...

Question - gene cloning a please write the steps to clone

Question - Gene Cloning a) Please write the steps to clone the protease gene from Bacillus strain whose genome sequence is not known. b) Express the protease gene to obtain the enzyme in high yield, please plan your prot ...

Instructions address each question below as it relates to

Instructions: Address each question below as it relates to the caw study given. A patient was brought to the Emergency Department by ambulance with two arrow wounds. One arrow is still in the patient on the left side; en ...

Use of molecular tools and bioinforrnatics in the diagnosis

Use of Molecular Tools and Bioinforrnatics in the Diagnosis Characterization of Enteric Pathogens from a Case Study Purpose: The purpose of this project is to familiarize the student with modern molecular tools and bioin ...

Experiment 1 staining video1 open the media player by

Experiment 1: Staining Video 1. Open the Media Player by clicking on the film-strip button in the lower left of the lab's window frame, as shown below. The Media Player is a repository of images, videos, saved snapshots, ...

Chosen dr jan nolta- stem cell researcher head of uc davis

Chosen Dr. Jan Nolta- Stem Cell Researcher Head of UC Davis Stem Cell Program Director Topic Background: early Stem cells have the ability to develop into many different types of cells. Stem Cell Research is not without ...

  • 4,153,160 Questions Asked
  • 13,132 Experts
  • 2,558,936 Questions Answered

Ask Experts for help!!

Looking for Assignment Help?

Start excelling in your Courses, Get help with Assignment

Write us your full requirement for evaluation and you will receive response within 20 minutes turnaround time.

Ask Now Help with Problems, Get a Best Answer

Why might a bank avoid the use of interest rate swaps even

Why might a bank avoid the use of interest rate swaps, even when the institution is exposed to significant interest rate

Describe the difference between zero coupon bonds and

Describe the difference between zero coupon bonds and coupon bonds. Under what conditions will a coupon bond sell at a p

Compute the present value of an annuity of 880 per year

Compute the present value of an annuity of $ 880 per year for 16 years, given a discount rate of 6 percent per annum. As

Compute the present value of an 1150 payment made in ten

Compute the present value of an $1,150 payment made in ten years when the discount rate is 12 percent. (Do not round int

Compute the present value of an annuity of 699 per year

Compute the present value of an annuity of $ 699 per year for 19 years, given a discount rate of 6 percent per annum. As