LostAngeles
5th July 2005, 04:09 PM
Link. (http://slate.msn.com/id/2121808/)
Mercury in Vaccines: Why you can stop worrying about thimerosal.
State of the Science: The claim that a spate of autism has been caused by the past presence of mercury in vaccines, through the preservative thimerosal, is affecting public-health policy. Even though there is strong evidence to refute the thimerosal-autism connection and even though—let me hasten to reassure you—the mercury is now gone, families in my pediatric practice continue to be afraid to immunize their children. Thimerosal came to be incorporated into vaccines nearly 80 years ago for a good reason. Is there cause today to think that the mercury-containing preservative is or was unsafe?
Prognosis: No. Different forms of mercury are associated with different levels of toxicity. Methyl mercury, an organic compound whose molecules directly and easily penetrate the nervous system, causes extremely serious environmental damage and poses a major health risk, especially to pregnant women and children. But neither thimerosal nor ethyl mercury, the compound into which the body breaks it down, cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the nervous system. Both are eliminated from the body quite rapidly and do not accumulate between vaccine doses. In the tiny amounts formerly associated with vaccines, there is no sign that either is toxic.
Fall-out: Mercury was eliminated from vaccines in 1999 out of concern that the thimerosal panic would lead to widespread refusal of vaccines. That decision was prudent, if only to preserve faith in immunization, but it was also costly. Since a Royal Commission in Australia investigated a vaccine disaster there in 1928 (go read about the history, really!), it has been clearly established that vaccines packaged in multidose containers must contain a preservative. The alternative is to bottle vaccines in tiny single-dose containers, taking meticulous care to ensure that the vaccine is not contaminated in the manufacturing or bottling process. This method has greatly increased costs and led to vaccine shortages in the past few years. As public funding for children's health and access to medical insurance drops, many poor children may be priced out of the market for vaccines. That would reduce the average rate of immunization—and raise the rate of illness.
...
After that the writer address mercury in fillings, episotemties, bird flu, and a few other things. But I thought I'd pass on a bit of positivity.
Mercury in Vaccines: Why you can stop worrying about thimerosal.
State of the Science: The claim that a spate of autism has been caused by the past presence of mercury in vaccines, through the preservative thimerosal, is affecting public-health policy. Even though there is strong evidence to refute the thimerosal-autism connection and even though—let me hasten to reassure you—the mercury is now gone, families in my pediatric practice continue to be afraid to immunize their children. Thimerosal came to be incorporated into vaccines nearly 80 years ago for a good reason. Is there cause today to think that the mercury-containing preservative is or was unsafe?
Prognosis: No. Different forms of mercury are associated with different levels of toxicity. Methyl mercury, an organic compound whose molecules directly and easily penetrate the nervous system, causes extremely serious environmental damage and poses a major health risk, especially to pregnant women and children. But neither thimerosal nor ethyl mercury, the compound into which the body breaks it down, cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the nervous system. Both are eliminated from the body quite rapidly and do not accumulate between vaccine doses. In the tiny amounts formerly associated with vaccines, there is no sign that either is toxic.
Fall-out: Mercury was eliminated from vaccines in 1999 out of concern that the thimerosal panic would lead to widespread refusal of vaccines. That decision was prudent, if only to preserve faith in immunization, but it was also costly. Since a Royal Commission in Australia investigated a vaccine disaster there in 1928 (go read about the history, really!), it has been clearly established that vaccines packaged in multidose containers must contain a preservative. The alternative is to bottle vaccines in tiny single-dose containers, taking meticulous care to ensure that the vaccine is not contaminated in the manufacturing or bottling process. This method has greatly increased costs and led to vaccine shortages in the past few years. As public funding for children's health and access to medical insurance drops, many poor children may be priced out of the market for vaccines. That would reduce the average rate of immunization—and raise the rate of illness.
...
After that the writer address mercury in fillings, episotemties, bird flu, and a few other things. But I thought I'd pass on a bit of positivity.