The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), made up of members not too long ago hand-selected by Well being and Human Companies Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., voted 5-1 on Thursday to advocate in opposition to flu vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal.
A couple of moments earlier than, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention’s vaccine advisory committee voted 6-0 to advocate all Individuals 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 forestall microbial contamination of vaccines. Most flu vaccines at present utilized in the USA include little to no thimerosal, however each the Meals and Drug Administration and the CDC say there is no such thing as a proof low doses of thimerosal in vaccines trigger hurt apart from minor reactions on the injection web site, equivalent to redness or swelling.
Moreover, a 2010 CDC research discovered publicity to vaccines and immunoglobulins that include thimerosal, in prenatal or toddler levels, doesn’t enhance danger for autism spectrum dysfunction.
This preservative was beforehand utilized in some frequent childhood immunizations, Nonetheless, within the late Nineties, federal well being businesses, the American Academy of Pediatrics and vaccine producers agreed to scale back or remove thimerosal in vaccines as a precautionary measure, which public health experts previously told ABC News gave rise to anti-vaccine teams alleging thimerosal shouldn’t be protected and fueled hypothesis that mercury causes autism.
Kennedy, who has promoted vaccine-skeptic views that specialists and many years of sturdy analysis have refuted, wrote a guide in 2014 falsely claiming thimerosal is “poisonous to mind tissue” and will trigger autism, calling for its removing 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
In the course of the ACIP assembly, Lyn Redwood, a former president of Kids’s Well being Protection, a gaggle that was once chaired by Kennedy, gave a extremely charged presentation as a non-public 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 obtained pushback from ACIP member Dr. Cody Meissner, who was the one member to vote in opposition to the advice. He stated there “isn’t any scientific proof that thimerosal has precipitated issues.”
“The danger for influenza is a lot higher than the non-existing danger from thimerosal,” he added.
Meissner stated vaccines with thimerosal are metabolized as ethylmercury, not methylmercury, which is the type of mercury present in fish and shellfish, and is understood to be a neurotoxin.
“I am not fairly certain how to answer this presentation,” he stated. “That is an previous subject that has been addressed previously. Ethylmercury is excreted way more rapidly 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 costlier, and eradicating thimerosal might 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 costlier, and plenty of international locations can’t afford a single-dose vial,” Meissner stated.
He went on, “I understand ACIP is targeted on the USA, 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 scale back entry to those vaccines, it should enhance price.”
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 dearth of peer-reviewed research in her presentation.
“This committee has all the time prided itself on openness, transparency and knowledge and proof. So I’m questioning if we could have an precise scientific presentation with peer-reviewed literature, robust proof to really focus on this subject, as many statements have been made right here at this time, with out assist of science or proof, however merely opinion,” Dr. Jason Goldman, a liaison for the American Faculty of Physicians (ACP), stated within the assembly.
A CDC evaluation of proof on thimerosal was beforehand revealed on the company’s web site — displaying no security dangers from the ingredient — however was later taken down. A former CDC official posted a copy of the article online.
“A scientifically rigorous CDC report reviewing the protection of thimerosal was posted for public entry after which abruptly eliminated on the course of the Workplace of the Secretary. The removing of this doc, which contextualized many years of proof displaying no hyperlink between thimerosal and neurotoxicity or autism, raises severe 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, stated in a press release 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 might result in much less folks getting vaccinated and gas additional mistrust of vaccines.
“Any lower within the variety of flu vaccines out there will doubtless end in fewer folks being vaccinated and subsequently extra hospitalizations and deaths. Its removing might additionally sign to most people unwarranted security issues,” O’Leary stated.
One other heated change within the assembly got here in the course of the dialogue of flu vaccines when ACIP member Dr. Robert Malone described the 250 flu deaths amongst kids throughout the newest flu season as a “modest quantity.”
“The 250 pediatric deaths, which is, let’s acknowledge, is a modest quantity happily,” Malone stated.
This previous season noticed the very best variety of flu deaths amongst kids for a non-pandemic season, and the very best quantity seen because the 2009 H1N1 international flu pandemic, CDC data reveals.
Malone obtained instant push again in the course of the assembly. Goldman from ACP stated the variety of deaths “shouldn’t be a small quantity, particularly if it is your individual youngster dying from the vaccine preventable sickness.”
Jade A. Cobern, MD, MPH, is board-certified in pediatrics and normal preventive medication, and is a medical fellow of the ABC Information Medical Unit.
