MMR-row doctor Andrew Wakefield quits US clinic job

The doctor at the centre of the MMR row has left his role at the US clinic he founded to study developmental disorders.

Dr Andrew Wakefield, who was last month told he had "abused his position of trust", has left his job at The Thoughtful House Centre for Children in Austin, Texas.

The doctor caused controversy in the late 1990s when he published research suggesting a possible link between the MMR vaccine, bowel disease and autism.

The General Medical Council (GMC) ruled last month he had brought the medical profession "into disrepute" with his research methods.

It is considering whether he is guilty of serious professional misconduct in the UK, a charge that could see him struck off the medical register.

A statement from Thoughtful House confirmed Dr Wakefield had left his post.

It said: "The needs of the children we serve must always come first.

"All of us at Thoughtful House are grateful to Dr Wakefield for the valuable work he has done here.

"We fully support his decision to leave Thoughtful House in order to make sure that the controversy surrounding the recent findings of the General Medical Council does not interfere with the important work that our dedicated team of clinicians and researchers is doing on behalf of children with autism and their families.

"All of us at Thoughtful House continue to fight every day for the recovery of children with developmental disorders.

"We will continue to do our very best to accomplish our mission by combining the most up-to-date treatments and important clinical research that will help to shape the understanding of these conditions which are affecting an ever-increasing number of children worldwide."