dr. andrew wakefield, influenced the lives and stirred the passions of parents all around the world while at the same time outraging the medical community. dr. andrew wakefield's controversial theory that raised the possible link between a childhood vaccine and autism has had an impact the world over. >> a child is vaccinated then something happened, children fell apart. >> his theory caused many parents to question a vaccine meant to save their children's lives. >> i have to look at the likelihood of my child contracting the disease, but i have to look at the particular vaccination and look at a likelihood of a severe or fatal reaction to that. >> and gave parents of children with autism a possible answer to the question why. >> dr. wakefield is a hero. i don't know where we would be without him, because no one would listen to us before him. >> others see him differently. >> do you think he has done a lo of damage? >> i think this man has done a tremendous amount of harm and it amazes me that he doesn't accept the responsibility for that harm. >> dr. andrew wakefield sits down to address

dr. andrew wakefield's controversial theory that raised a possible link between the childhood vaccine and autism has had an impact the world over. >> then something happened, their children fell apart. >> reporter: it was his theory that caused many parents to question a vaccine meant to save their children's lives. and gave parents of children with autism a possible answer to the question why. >> dr. wakefield is a hero. i don't know where we would be without him because no one would listen to us before him. >> reporter: but others see him differently. do you think he's done a lot of damage? >> i think this man has done a tremendous amount of harm and it amazes me he doesn't accept the responsibility for that harm. >> reporter: for the very first time dr. andrew wakefield sits down to address the conflict head-on after a decade of debate. >> i knew there was going to be controversy and it was going to challenge people's opinions. >> reporter: it's more than controversy though. this has exploded, doctor. his theory laid the groundwork for a worldwide movement questioning the safety of vac

dr. andrew wakefield, and he sat down with us exclusively for his first in-depth interview.al figures you've probably never heard of. >> i encourage you to be stronger and stick together and unite. >> reporter: but he has influenced the lives and stirred the passions of millions of parents worldwide. >> i don't know where we would be without him, because no one would listen to us before him. >> reporter: dr. andrew wakefield is something of a hero to parents of children with the developmental disorder autism. >> i'm just your biggest fan. >> reporter: but at the same time, he has outraged the medical establishment. do you think he's done a lot of damage? >> i think this man has done a tremendous amount of harm, and it amazes me that he doesn't accept the responsibility for that harm. >> reporter: in 1998, dr. wakefield was considered a rising star, practicing here at london's royal free hospital. and then he published a study in the "lancet," a prestigious medical journal, suggesting a possible link between the mmr -- a combination vaccine given to children to prevents meez

dr. andrew wakefield as a hero. >>in where we would be without him.listen to us before him. >> reporter: others see him differently. >> i think this man has done a tremendous amount of harm and it mazes me he doesn't accept the responsibility for that harm. >> reporter: in an exclusive "dateline" interview dr. wake feelgd sits down to address the conflict head-on for the very first time after a decade of debate. >> i knew that there was going to be controversy and it was going to challenge people's opinions. >> reporter: more than controversy, though. this hasek ploeded, doctor. despite tremendous opposition from the medical community, dr. wakefield has refused to back down. >> what the authorities need to realize is that the children are not going away. their parents are not going away and i'm not going away. you need to get on and deal with it. >> reporter: has he solved a medical mystery? or has the debate about vaccines he tngro ws the wrongs searching re?ctnsio wtt lauer, nbc nsnews, new yor. >>e invite to you watch the entire report, dose of con

dr. andrew wakefield in just a little while. >> very emotional issue.that. >> it really is. we have a lot to tto, including that concert coming up. let's go inside. natalie is standg by at the news desk. good morning, natalie. >>ood morning to you. >>> this morning inouthern california, as many as 2,000 people a out of their homes because of fast-moving wildfires. a fire burning in rancho palos verdes has damaged some upscale seaside homes and buildings and is threatening dozens more. firefighters are expecting another day of triple-digit temperatures and record highs. at least six fires are now burning throughout the state. >>> thousands more people are filing past the casket of senator ted kennedy today. his body is lying in repose for a second d at the john f. kennedy library and museum in boston ahead of h funeral tomorrow. some 25,000 people paid their respects thursday. >>> meantime attention is turning toward a potential successor to kennedy in the u.s. senate. nbc's kelly o'donnell is in boston with more on that. kelly, good morning. >> reporter