Vaccines Containing Thimerosal Causes Several Disorders In Children

Thimerosal, an organic compound, is used as vaccine preservative since 1930. Until recently, it has been regarded as a reliable, safe and rather dull defender against fungal and bacterial contagion. It prevents bacterial contamination and kills bacteria in some containers. Some vaccines containing Thimerosal are recommended for the use in young children and infants including pertussis, Hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis. The dilemma linked to Thimerosal is that it contains 49.6 percent weight by mercury. Mercury is a poisonous metal that at high levels of exposure causes behavioral, immune, neurological, sensory and motor disorders. These effects are common in infants and fetuses whose brains are still developing.

Relation between Autism and Thimerosal

One of the major anxieties for doctors and parents is the relation between vaccines containing Thimerosal and autism. Autism is characterized the problems associated with the neurological, behavioral, motor and sensory functions. In the past few years there have been cases in which the normally developing babies suddenly displayed the signs and symptoms of autism after taking Thimerosal intravenously. Parents of such babies alleged that the Thimerosal vaccines were the actual culprits. Moreover, the Center for Disease and Control has collected sufficient data to establish a relation between the developmental disorders and vaccines containing mercury. These disorders include attention deficit disorder, autism and language and speech deficiencies. Recent growth in the rate of autism brought special attention to the dangers associated with Thimerosal.

The first official concern related to the pediatric vaccines containing mercury was raised in 1999. It was raised after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a report stating that “infants who received Thimerosal-containing vaccines at several visits may be exposed to more mercury than recommended by federal guidelines for total mercury exposure.” The Federal government asked the pharmaceutical companies to supply Thimerosal free vaccines by summer of 2001. One month after this recommendation, a notice was issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics asking its members to use Thimerosal free vaccines. In October of 2001, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) asked that all the remaining stocks of Thimerosal vaccines should be taken off the shelves immediately and destroyed.