Updates on Mercury in Vaccines and HR 2617

HR 2617 is currently being reviewed by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.


Although its status in Congress has not changed since the creation of this blog, the Mercury-Free Vaccines Act of 2009 may influence a controversial issue in the news today. The CDC reports that while thimerosal has currently been removed from most other vaccines, most of the influenza vaccines this year still contain thimerosal. Although the CDC cites that some of the influenza vaccines do not contain thimerosal, the shortage of these vaccinations as cases of H1N1 and the flu flood the country have parents scrambling to get their children vaccinated, any form of the vaccination available. Parents may be unaware that the vaccines they are getting for their children contain any amount of thimerosal and may not even be aware of its possible neurotoxic effects in children, even in small doses. Although studies have not proven these effects, the risk is still present. If it is possible to take mercury out of these vaccines, then it should be done. The passage of this legislation could require the removal of thimerosal from the influenza vaccines, or at bare minimum, require that parents know of its presence prior to vaccine administration.

More information about thimerosal in 2009-2010 influenza vaccines can be found on the CDC's webpage: http://www.cdc.gov/Flu/about/qa/thimerosal.htm