Members of the Croatian Journalists Association (HND) who are science journalists on Thursday warned about a coming visit to Split by a former British doctor and one of leading anti-vaccine activists, Andrew Wakefield, recalling that his discredited research paper from 1998 had launched an anti-vaccination campaign.

Wakefield’s activity has resulted in the reemergence of measles epidemics in developed countries, and in Europe alone, more than 82,000 people were infected in 2018, of whom 72 died, the HND says in a statement.

It stresses that Wakefield’s licence was revoked because he falsified the results of his research paper.

His research turned out to have been financed by lawyers who planned to profit from lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers, the HND says.

It warns that Wakefield’s visit to Split, where he is to attend a meeting of vaccination opponents, is happening at a time when the city is threatened by a possible measles epidemic due to a drop in the vaccination rate.

HND science journalists call on parents to vaccinate their children and consult with pediatricians and epidemiologists rather than look for information on the Internet or consult other specialists.

Science journalists also call on the Split city authorities and the Croatian Medical Chamber to state their position on the matter.