Over three years ago, health-related organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that thimerosal be removed from vaccines as soon as possible. Despite this recommendation, thimerosal is still present in many vaccinations today.

Thimerosal, an additive that has been used as a vaccine preservative since the 1930s, contains 49.6 percent mercury by weight. Mercury is a toxic element that, if taken in high enough doses, can result in long-term immune, sensory, neurological, motor, and behavioral dysfunctions. Mercury is especially dangerous to fetuses and small children because their brains are still developing and are therefore more susceptible to the damaging effects. Disorders associated with mercury poisoning include autism, attention deficit disorder, and speech and language deficiencies.

Many of the thimerosal-containing vaccines, which include Hepatitis B, diphtheria, pertussis, acellular pertussis, tetanus and Hib, are recommended specifically for children. In fact, many infants receive up to 15 vaccines that contain mercury by the time they are six months old. Recently, vaccine manufacturers have begun to reduce the number of vaccines containing thimerosal, but children are still being exposed to potentially harmful levels of mercury in the vaccinations. CDC still recommends that parents vaccinate their children, however.

The following table is a list of vaccines containing thimerosal:

Several Congressional hearings have debated this issue, partly because of health reasons and partly because the approval process for these vaccines is heavily influenced by the pharmaceutical industry. Numerous congressmen have called for the removal of all vaccines containing thimerosal, though this has not yet occurred.

Several vaccines are now being developed that will be entirely thimerosal-free.

Thimerosal-News.com

Dr. Mercola's Comments: Most people, physicians included, don't understand that the mercury preservative thimerosal is still used in most vaccines. This is likely one of the major contributing factors to vaccine toxicity. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin. Injecting it into a child, whose nervous system is rapidly developing, could have terrible consequences. Related Articles: CDC Issues Recommendations On Use of Thimerosal - Mercury- Free Hepatitis Mercury in Childhood Vaccines: What Did the Government Know? Mercury is Still in Vaccines Mercury Exposure After Hepatitis B Vaccination Update on Mercury Poisoning from Vaccine