An investigation by a British newspaper alleges Andrew Wakefield changed and misreported results in his research, which ignited fears that the MMR vaccine was linked to the condition.

Dr Wakefield's research was published in 1998 in The Lancet medical journal, claiming that the families of eight out of 12 children who had received the vaccine had blamed MMR after their youngsters developed autism.

At the time, the parents of the eight children said their children had begun to develop problems within days of having the injection.

But the Sunday Times said an investigation by the paper had revealed that in most of the 12 cases the children's ailments described in The Lancet were different from their medical records. Only one child developed problems within days of receiving the MMR vaccine, with many of the other children having previous medical problems.

The newspaper said the impact of Dr Wakefield's research at the time had been extraordinary, with MMR vaccination rates plunging to less than 80 per cent in Britain. The director of the child-health research unit at the University of Michigan, Professor Gary Freed, said, ''This study created a sensation among the public that was impossible to counter, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

''Overwhelming biologic and epidemiologic evidence has demonstrated conclusively that there is no association between the MMR vaccine and autism, and yet this thing goes on.''

Dr Wakefield, who is under investigation by the General Medical Council, denies the paper's claims but has refused to comment. AAP