Thimerosal
"Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines and other products since the 1930s. No harmful effects have been reported from thimerosal at doses used in vaccines, except for minor reactions like redness and swelling at the injection site. However, in July 1999, the Public Health Service (PHS) agencies, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and vaccine manufacturers agreed that thimerosal should be reduced or eliminated in vaccines as a precautionary measure. Today, with the exception of some influenza (flu) vaccines, none of the vaccines used in the U.S. to protect preschool children against 12 infectious diseases contain thimerosal as a preservative." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

"Based on a thorough review of clinical and epidemiological studies, neither the mercury-based vaccine thimerosal nor the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine are associated with autism... Five large epidemiological studies in the United States, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Sweden since 2001 consistently provided evidence that there is no association between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism... " National Academies press release about the IOM report "Immunization Safety Review: Vaccines and Autism," May 18, 2004

Do you have questions about thimerosal in vaccines? Here are some helpful links.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  
CDC Statement Regarding Autism-Related Advertisement in USA Today
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/s060406.htm

CDC’s Key Messages: Thimerosal, Vaccines, and Autism
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.immunize.org/cdc_thimerosal.pdf

Mercury and Vaccines (Thimerosal)
www.cdc.gov/od/science/iso/concerns/thimerosal.htm

U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  
Thimerosal in Vaccines: Frequently Asked Questions
www.fda.gov/cber/vaccine/thimfaq.htm

Thimerosal in Vaccines
www.fda.gov/cber/vaccine/thimerosal.htm
 
Institute of Medicine
  
Immunization Safety Review: Vaccines and Autism (5/18/04)
www.nap.edu/books/030909237X/html

Immunization Safety Review: Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (10/01/01)
www.nap.edu/books/0309076366/html
 
National Network for Immunization Information
   
Thimerosal/Mercury
www.immunizationinfo.org/thimerosal_mercury_issues.cfm
 
Vaccine Education Center
 
Thimerosal and Autism
Source: Paul Offit, MD, Vaccine Education Center
www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2066.pdf

Thimerosal
www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/division/generic.jsp?id=75751

Vaccine Concerns by Paul A. Offit, MD, and Louis M. Bell, MD
www.immunize.org/catg.d/4038myth.pdf

Thimerosal: What you should know
English: www.chop.edu/vaccine/images/vec_thimerosal.pdf
Spanish: www.chop.edu/vaccine/images/vec_thimerosal_esp.pdf
 
Institute for Vaccine Safety
 
Thimerosal Content in Some U.S. Licensed Vaccines
www.vaccinesafety.edu/thi-table.htm
 
Immunization Action Coalition
 
Joint Letter to Congress (April 3, 2006)
Source: Multiple organizations concerned about efforts to restrict access to vaccines
www.immunize.org/thimerosalletter.pdf

Persons wishing to access journal abstracts related to thimerosal can click here to visit the appropriate section on IAC's website for healthcare providers.
  
Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety
 
Thiomersal and Vaccines
www.who.int/vaccine_safety/topics/thiomersal/en/index.html

This page was reviewed on January 2, 2008