No one should ever think Wakefield is stupid. The GMC went after Wakefield mostly for two issues. One, the unethical treatment of the children. Two, the scientific fraud engaged with the publication of the 1998 paper. Wakefield ignores the scientific fraud issue.
"Doctors’ regulators have found the three of us - Professor John Walker-Smith, Professor Simon Murch and me - guilty of undertaking research on children with autism without approval from an ethics committee. We can prove, with extensive documentary evidence, that this conclusion is false."
Of course, this is total nonsense. Wakefield and the others cannot deny the plain facts that they put together a week long protocol investigating children with the intent that they use the information gained elsewhere -- Wakefield with Legal And and publication. The others just for publication. That makes it medical research. See my Game Over for Wakefield at the Start of the GMC Hearing
My Colleagues are the Victims of Collateral Damage Showing what a brave man he is, Wakefield wants the GMC to spare his co-conspirators, Walker-Smith and Murch.
Sadly, my colleagues have suffered severe collateral damage in this effort to prevent valid scientific enquiry. They should be exonerated, and left alone with their reputations intact, in the certain knowledge that they have done only what is right.
I have little doubt that Professor Walker-Smith, because of his sterling reputation, is a victim of the Walkefield charisma and charm. But the conspiracy could never have gone ahead without his participation as he had privileges at the Royal Free hospital and Wakefield did not.. He certainly knew that kids with autism were going through a week of hell when it was not clinically indicated. He was also the public face to the ethics committee. I have very, very little sympathy for him.