Thimerosal - a preservative used in certain vaccines
Thimerosal, which is approximately 50% mercury by weight, has been shown to be effective in clearing a broad spectrum of pathogens. It has been one of the most widely used preservatives in vaccines, particularly in multi-dose vials in order to prevent contamination or introduction of bacteria.
Toxic mercury in Thimerosal linked to long-term dysfunctions
Mercury is a toxic element that, if taken in high enough doses, can result in long-term immune, sensory, neurological, motor, and behavioral dysfunctions. Health-related organizations such the National Vaccine Program fear that infants, who received up to 15 mercury-containing vaccines by the time they are six months old, may be exposing themselves to dangerous amounts.
Thimerosal --> Autism ?
Among the disorders feared are autism, attention deficit disorder, and speech and language deficiencies. One of the biggest concerns for parents and health officials is the link between Thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism. Autism is currently the third most common child development disorder.
A report, which was obtained by the SAFEMINDS support and advocacy group, states: "As for the exposure evaluated at 3 months of age, we found increasing risks of 'neurological developmental disorders' with increasing cumulative exposure to Thimerosal Developmental disorders included specific delays in development, speech disorder, stuttering, attention deficit disorder and autism.
Autism is a neurological disorder that typically appears within the first two years of a child's life. The disorder is marked by problems with the sensory, neurological, motor, and behavioral functions of an individual.
Request for recall
Washington, DC - In an October 25, 2000 letter to HHS Secretary Donna Shalala, Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN), Chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform, requested a recall of all vaccines containing Thimerosal. The mercury-based product Thimerosal is added to vaccines as a preservative.
On July 18, 2000 the Committee conducted a hearing entitled, "Mercury in Medicine: Are We Taking Unnecessary Risks?" During the hearing, the FDA admitted that children are being exposed to unsafe levels of mercury through vaccines containing Thimerosal. It was also determined that symptoms of mercury poisoning mimic symptoms of autism -- a disease that has reached epidemic levels in the United States. However, the FDA has chosen to allow pharmaceutical companies to merely phase out their use of Thimerosal, leaving mercury-containing vaccines at public and private health facilities.
In his letter to Secretary Shalala, Chairman Burton stated:
"We all know and accept that mercury is a neurotoxin, and yet the FDA has failed to recall the 50 vaccines that contain Thimerosal...On their own website, the FDA states, 'lead, cadmium, and mercury are examples of elements that are toxic when present at relatively low levels'
"Our children are the future of this country. As a Government we have a responsibility to do everything within our power to protect them from harm, including ensuring that vaccines are safe and effective. Every day that mercury-containing vaccines remain on the market is another day HHS is putting 8,000 children at risk. Given that thimerosal-free vaccines are available, and the known risk of mercury toxicity, to leave thimerosal-containing vaccines on the market is unconscionable."
Testimony from the July 18, 2000 hearing
Click here for more information on vaccines
Under the FDA Modernization Act of 1997, the FDA compiled a list of regulated products containing mercury, including those with Thimerosal (Federal Register 1999). It is important to note that this list was compiled in 1999; some products listed are no longer manufactured and many products have been reformulated without Thimerosal.
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