from the journal, and 10 of the 12 co-authors have formally disavowed the paper's conclusions. Furthermore, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, the UK National Health Service and the Cochrane Library review have all concluded that there is no evidence of a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. (See MMR vaccine controversy) The Cochrane Library's systematic review also concluded that "The design and reporting of safety outcomes in MMR vaccine studies, both pre- and post- marketing, are largely inadequate...." Nonetheless, it noted that the vaccine has prevented diseases that still carry a heavy burden of death and complications, and that the lack of confidence in the vaccine has damaged public health. Catherine Collins, chief dietician at St George's Hospital, reported that after following Holford's advice to adopt a restricted diet, a young autistic girl participating in one of Holford's experiments suffered dramatic weight loss and sleep problems. Holford dismissed the allegations as "professional jealousy", stating that "This girl hasn't suffered. She's got better and is behaving better. Her parents are delighted with the results. It's only Catherine Collins who is not." Holford claimed that the girl was already a poor sleeper, and that when placed on a less restrictive diet, she was able to regain the weight she had lost. Advertising There has also been an adjudication by the Advertising Standards Authority against Patrick Holford's 100% Health leaflet. "On this point, the ad breached CAP Code clauses 3.1 (Substantiation), 7.1 (Truthfulness), 50.1 (Health & beauty products and therapies – General) and 50.20 (Health & beauty products and therapies – Vitamins, minerals and other food supplements)." A previous adjudication by the ASA also went against Mr Holford. . Mr Holford has also been the subject of at least two adverse rulings by the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa. Books References Further reading Goldacre, Ben (2008). Bad Science. HarperPerennial. Thompson, Damian (2008). Counterknowledge: How We Surrendered to Conspiracy Theories, Quack Medicine, Bogus Science and Fake History. Atlantic Books. External links Patrick Holford's Website Ben Goldacre's blog posts on Patrick Holford Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Alternative medicine activists Alumni of the University of York British nutritionists Orthomolecular medicine advocates Pseudoscientific diet advocates