The newly formed vaccine advisory board, instituted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has recently voted to discourage the use of specific vaccines containing thimerosal. This preservative has been controversial amongst those in the anti-vaccine movement, though there is extensive scientific agreement regarding its safety. The proposal to refrain from thimerosal was firstly raised during a meeting held by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on June 26.
The case against thimerosal, flagged as a neurotoxin, was the focus of the recommendation. The proposal urged the panel to promote only flu vaccines devoid of thimerosal for pregnant women, infants, and children. A similar recommendation was endorsed for adults as well.
Health professionals were surprised to observe thimerosal, a preservative that has reduced significantly in usage in the U.S. vaccines, emerging on the agenda of the ACIP meeting prior to its occurrence. The meeting details were published on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, a day before the scheduled date.
In the event preceding the vote, the committee engaged in a contentious debate over the safety of thimerosal. This occurred despite the overwhelming evidence presented in scientific publications opposing any correlation between the preservative and autism or any other neurodevelopmental disorders.
The recently inducted members of the ACIP held their inaugural meeting on June 25. The new members were handpicked by Kennedy after he dismissed the original 17 members on June 9. Some of the newly appointed members are known for harboring skepticism about vaccines.
Thimerosal is a compound used as a preservative that prevents the growth of microbes such as bacteria and fungi. Nonetheless, modern innovations in the production process have led to a decrease in the utilization of such preservatives.
A document briefing of the CDC compiled by the staff made a noteworthy point. The document signified that during the 2024-2025 season, 96% of all flu vaccines in the U.S. were free of thimerosal.
With proactive measures taken by the agency, the application of thimerosal as a preservative has seen considerable reduction over several decades. All the vaccines that are routinely recommended for children aged six or below are available in versions that are free of thimerosal.
Although the majority of the vaccines available in the market don’t contain thimerosal, the organization asserts that numerous rigorous, peer-reviewed scientific studies conducted not only in the United States but globally back the safety of vaccines with thimerosal.
Scientific research conducted over the last couple of decades has consistently shown no connection between harmful effects, especially severe neurodevelopmental disorders, and the use of thimerosal in vaccines. The consensus in the scientific community supports the safety of vaccines containing thimerosal.