The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), made up of members lately hand-selected by Well being and Human Companies Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., voted 5-1 on Thursday to suggest towards flu vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal.
Just a few moments earlier than, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention’s vaccine advisory committee voted 6-0 to suggest all People aged 6 months and older obtain an annual influenza vaccine.
One committee member, Vicky Pebsworth, abstained on every vote.
Thimerosal is a mercury-based preservative, which is used to stop microbial contamination of vaccines. Most flu vaccines presently utilized in the US comprise little to no thimerosal, however each the Meals and Drug Administration and the CDC say there isn’t a proof low doses of thimerosal in vaccines trigger hurt apart from minor reactions on the injection website, akin to redness or swelling.
Moreover, a 2010 CDC examine discovered publicity to vaccines and immunoglobulins that comprise thimerosal, in prenatal or toddler phases, doesn’t enhance danger for autism spectrum dysfunction.
This preservative was beforehand utilized in some frequent childhood immunizations, Nevertheless, within the late Nineties, federal well being companies, the American Academy of Pediatrics and vaccine producers agreed to cut back or get rid of thimerosal in vaccines as a precautionary measure, which public well being consultants beforehand informed ABC Information gave rise to anti-vaccine teams alleging thimerosal shouldn’t be secure and fueled hypothesis that mercury causes autism.
Kennedy, who has promoted vaccine-skeptic views that consultants and a long time of sturdy analysis have refuted, wrote a e book in 2014 falsely claiming thimerosal is “poisonous to mind tissue” and will trigger autism, calling for its elimination from all vaccines.
Well being and Human Companies Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies earlier than the Home Vitality and Commerce Committee Well being Subcommittee, June 24, 2025 in Washington.
Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Photographs
Throughout the ACIP assembly, Lyn Redwood, a former president of Youngsters’s Well being Protection, a bunch that was chaired by Kennedy, gave a extremely charged presentation as a personal citizen. She claimed the preservative was poisonous to the mind and refuted evidence-based claims that there was no confirmed hurt from thimerosal in vaccines.
Her presentation acquired pushback from ACIP member Dr. Cody Meissner, who was the one member to vote towards the advice. He mentioned there “isn’t any scientific proof that thimerosal has prompted issues.”
“The chance for influenza is a lot larger than the non-existing danger from thimerosal,” he added.
Meissner mentioned vaccines with thimerosal are metabolized as ethylmercury, not methylmercury, which is the type of mercury present in fish and shellfish, and is thought to be a neurotoxin.
“I am not fairly positive how to answer this presentation,” he mentioned. “That is an outdated difficulty that has been addressed prior to now. Ethylmercury is excreted way more shortly from the physique. It’s not related to the excessive neurotoxicity that methylmercury [is].”
Meissner additionally added that thimerosal is included in most multi-dose vaccines administered world wide as a result of single-dose vials are dearer, and eradicating thimerosal may enhance the prices of vaccines.
“Thimerosal is included in most vaccines which can be administered across the globe, and that’s as a result of single-dose vials are dearer, and plenty of international locations can not afford a single-dose vial,” Meissner mentioned.
He went on, “I understand ACIP is concentrated on the US, however the suggestions that the ACIP makes are adopted amongst many international locations world wide and eradicating thimerosal from all vaccines which can be utilized in different international locations, for instance, goes to cut back entry to those vaccines, it can enhance value.”
A number of liaisons of medical teams within the committee additionally questioned within the assembly why Redwood was permitted to current given her restricted scientific background and pushed again on the shortage of peer-reviewed research in her presentation.
“This committee has at all times prided itself on openness, transparency and information and proof. So I’m questioning if we can have an precise scientific presentation with peer-reviewed literature, robust proof to truly talk about this difficulty, as many statements have been made right here immediately, with out assist of science or proof, however merely opinion,” Dr. Jason Goldman, a liaison for the American School of Physicians (ACP), mentioned within the assembly.
A CDC overview of proof on thimerosal was beforehand printed on the company’s web site — exhibiting no security dangers from the ingredient — however was later taken down. A former CDC official posted a duplicate of the article on-line.
“A scientifically rigorous CDC report reviewing the protection of thimerosal was posted for public entry after which abruptly eliminated on the path of the Workplace of the Secretary. The elimination of this doc, which contextualized a long time of proof exhibiting no hyperlink between thimerosal and neurotoxicity or autism, raises critical issues about transparency and the integrity of the decision-making course of,” Sean O’Leary, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Infectious Illnesses, mentioned in an announcement to ABC Information.
An indication marks the doorway to the federal Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, on Oct. 8, 2013.
David Goldman/AP
Docs have voiced concern that now not recommending thimerosal in some flu photographs may result in much less individuals getting vaccinated and gas additional mistrust of vaccines.
“Any lower within the variety of flu vaccines obtainable will doubtless end in fewer individuals being vaccinated and subsequently extra hospitalizations and deaths. Its elimination may additionally sign to most people unwarranted security issues,” O’Leary mentioned.
One other heated change within the assembly got here throughout the dialogue of flu vaccines when ACIP member Dr. Robert Malone described the 250 flu deaths amongst kids throughout the latest flu season as a “modest quantity.”
“The 250 pediatric deaths, which is, let’s acknowledge, is a modest quantity fortuitously,” Malone mentioned.
This previous season noticed the best variety of flu deaths amongst kids for a non-pandemic season, and the best quantity seen because the 2009 H1N1 international flu pandemic, CDC information reveals.
Malone acquired quick push again throughout the assembly. Goldman from ACP mentioned the variety of deaths “shouldn’t be a small quantity, particularly if it is your individual little one dying from the vaccine preventable sickness.”
Jade A. Cobern, MD, MPH, is board-certified in pediatrics and common preventive drugs, and is a medical fellow of the ABC Information Medical Unit.
