In February 1998 Professor Arie Zuckerman, Dean of the Medical School at The Royal Free Hospital, holds a press conference to publicize The Lancet paper. Wakefield informs Zuckerman and his colleagues in advance, in writing, that he has significant concerns about the safety of MMR vaccine, alerting them explicitly to what he knew would be a very controversial stance.

Dean Zuckerman acknowledges Dr. Wakefield's concerns prior to the press conference. Yet during the press conference, Zuckerman signals Wakefield to field the controversial question. Wakefield stands by his stated belief surrounding MMR, and publicly proposes that parents opt for single dose measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines, which were an available alternative at the time in both the UK and the US.

The paper -- which was co-authored by Wakefield, Professor John Walker-Smith and 11 additional scientists -- is published in The Lancet, independently of any aspect of possible litigation. Professor Walker-Smith, Dr. Simon Murch and a team of additional physicians performed the clinically necessary examinations of the 12 children, while Dr. Wakefield coordinates a detailed research review of the novel brain-gut syndrome and a scientific review of the tissues obtained at biopsy.

This review is later completely misrepresented by journalist Brian Deer working for Rupert Murdoch.