NYC-WTC_000152373

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

TUESDA y^OCTOBERS^OOl

Panel Cautions Against Mercury Preservative By SANDRA BLAKESLEE While most experts believe that into a compound called ethylmer­ There is no evidence that thimero­ genes are involved, they say it is cury. sal, a mercury-containing preserva­ theoretically possible that something Before 1990, most babies got only tive formerly used in childhood vac­ in the environment might contribute. one shot that contained mercury, the cines, poses a significant, threat to Vaccinations came under suspi­ report said. After 1990, two more the developing brain, a panel of med­ cion when the parents of autistic vaccines containing it were added tc ical experts said yesterday. children noted that symptoms of the the required list for all infants. Nevertheless, in a report issued disorder, like lack of social aware­ By the end of the decade, the Food yesterday, the 15-member panel ness and language delay, appeared and Drug Administration concluded urged drug and vaccine manufactur­ shortly after their children got their that some infants were being ex­ ers to redouble their efforts to re­ measles, mumps and rubella shot at posed to cumulative amounts of eth­ move mercury from all products age 18 months. Many blamed the ylmercury, and instructed manufac- used by children and pregnant wom­ vaccine, even though it did not con­ turers'to remove thimerosal. Vials of en. The experts, appointed by the tain mercury. vaccine are now made as single Institute of Medicine, said that al­ A child’s first 18 months is a period doses, requiring only one needle though there was not enough evi­ of extensive brain development, puncture, so that no preservatives dence either to prove or disprove a when many things could go awry to need to be used. link between the amounts of mercu­ No one knows if extremely low ry in older vaccines and abnormal doses of ethylmercury are danger­ brain development, such a link was ous, Dr. McCormick said in a news “biologically plausible.” The Institute of Medicine, an arm An element's link to conference. Federal safety stand­ of the National Academy of Sciences, ards have been set for a closely advises the government on health brain injury is called related compound, methylmercury, issues. which is a breakdown product of Two years ago, vaccine manufac­ weak but plausible. industrial mercury in the environ­ turers stopped adding thimerosal to ment and is found in certain sea­ vaccines given to small children out foods. Whether studies of methyi- of a concern- that-the -compound— cause the^abnormal organization of jnercury_apply.across _the-board tc might cause brain injury. All six the brain. ethylmercury is just not known, she childhood immunizations that are re­ Earlier this year, the Institute of said. quired by the government are widely Medicine discounted any link be­ Epidemiological studies are under available without mercury. tween the measles-mumps-rubella way to examine whether there is any But some vaccines more than two vaccine and autism. link between thimerosal and autism, years old, still containing thimerosal, But mercury, a known neurotoxin, attention deficit and hyperactivity may remain in use. In addition, remained a possibility. Thimerosal disorder or delayed language devel­ some vaccines occasionally given to has been used as a preservative opment, Dr. McCormick said. Pre­ small children, like flu shots, contain since the 193O’s to kill bacteria and liminary results of one unpublished mercury, as do some over-the- fungi in vials containing multiple study in children who received high­ counter products, like nasal sprays. doses of vaccine. A preservative is er than usual levels of thimerosal The Institute of Medicine has no au­ needed if vials contain more than one show no increased risk of autism. thority to force manufacturers to re­ dose, to prevent the growth of organ­ The results did, however, show a call supplies of childhood vaccines isms that may enter the vial after the small but significant increase of a containing mercury, the report said. cap is pierced by a needle. Once risk of speech delay in children with Parents should ask their doctors to injected, thimerosal breaks down attention deficit order. use mercury-free vaccines, said the I chairwoman of the expen panel. Dr, ' Marie C, McCormick, professor and I chairman of the Department of Ma- i temal and Child Health at the Har- I vard School of Public Health, But in the unlikely event that mercury-free vaccines are not available. Dr. Mc­ Cormick said, parents should and have their children vaccinated with older products. The danger of getting a disease that can be prevented by a vaccine is very real, she said, where­ as the danger of being harmed by the I tiny amounts of mercury in older vaccines is extremely remote. Parents of autistic children who worry that the mercury in vaccines might cause the disorder praised the panel for taking their concerns seri­ ously and for urging that exposure to mercury be minimized. The idea that mercury in vaccines might contribute to autism was raised several years ago when the incidence of the disorder apparently and inexplicably started to rise.

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