There you go.  I've written it in black and white (or even a burnt orange colour if we're being pedantic).  The MMR vaccine does not cause autism.  Studies have proven this.  

One study, of only 12 children, supported the link between MMR and the increased risk of the development of autism.  This has been discredited by the scientific and medical experts.  However, none of the studies that prove the absence of a link have caused the media hysteria that accompanied this 'rogue' study.

I don't see front-page headlines in the press supporting and highlighting the proper scientific studies proclaiming "MMR does NOT cause autism", and  "Get your child vaccinated with the MMR jab and help prevent an outbreak of measles".

MMR provides protection against measles, mumps and rubella.  These can kill.  That's why the vaccine is important.  Many parents opted for separate vaccinations against these three diseases, although that does increase the risk of the child contracting one of the other two diseases in the intervening period between injections.  Others have claimed that they don't have the option of the separate vaccinations, and so opted instead to not have their child vaccinated at all!  The result of this?  A massive increase in the number of measles cases in the UK.  

From the Evening Standard in August 2007: 

Parents have been urged to give their children the MMR vaccine as it was revealed Britain is in the middle of the worst measles outbreak for 20 years.  The unprecedented warning from the Health Protection Agency came as the number of children suffering from the disease trebled over the last 11 weeks.

Experts fear even more will be infected as the autumn school term begins.  This is the worst outbreak since the controversial MMR vaccine was introduced in 1988.

Take-up of the triple jab - which also protects against mumps and rubella - plummeted to 80 per cent after Dr Andrew Wakefield claimed it was linked to autism and bowel problems.

Leading scientists have since debunked Dr Wakefield's claims and rates of uptake are creeping back to recommended levels - except in London, where a quarter of children are still not vaccinated.
 

I've been discussing this topic on a number of forums (or is that fora?), and three parents with autistic children are firmly of the belief that MMR caused their children's autism.  Now I know it's an emotive subject, and I know they have been affected by their child's autism - but I still fail to see why they are so sure that it was caused by the MMR vaccination.

I asked them if that (now discredited) 'study' of 12 children hadn't taken place, and the press hysteria that accompanied it had also never happened, would there still be this resounding 'belief' that MMR causes autism?  What is the basis for this belief?

I'm still waiting for an answer.   One said that studies of 250 children weren't enough to disprove the link, although they seemed to be happy with a study of 12 children that did put forward the link.  I directed them to this study of a highly statistically significant sample, but they still aren't convinced.  There's also the Japanese study, where cases of autism continued to rise after MMR was banned.

It's reminds me of a blind faith that often accompanies a religious belief, such as fundamental Christians believing in creationism despite the overwhelming evidence that disproves it.