The 1998 Wakefield study was plagued by numerous critical flaws. Its sample size was extremely small and not gender-representative. A major error was concluding causation from correlation; the study noted that for 8 of the 12 children, parents reported the onset of behavioral symptoms shortly after the MMR vaccination. This temporal association was misinterpreted as a causal link, ignoring the fundamental principle that correlation does not imply causation. This is especially relevant since autism symptoms often become apparent around the same age the vaccine is administered, making the correlation likely coincidental. Furthermore, the study was retracted for scientific misconduct, including a major conflict of interest, as the lead researcher had a financial incentive to find a link between the vaccine and autism.