Information About Mercury/Thimerosal in Flu Vaccines

Frequently Asked Questions

 Click here for answers to questions about Mercury/Thimerosal in vaccines.

Letters

In response to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (JS) Article about Thimerosal (Mercury) in vaccines, the following letters were issued. (Click on links below to read letters.  Click here for the JS article.)

• Letter to the Editor from Milwaukee Health Commissioner Bevan Baker about Importance of Vaccines in Preventing Serious Diseases, Vaccine Safety
•  Op-Ed Letter from Wisconsin Vaccine Expert Dr. Jon Temte
•  Letter to the Editor from Local Family Physician Dr. Paul Hunter

Vaccine Information Statements (VIS)

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/default.htm 

Technical Papers

Thompson Research: From New England Journal of Medicine and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

•  Thompson and other authors: Study shows no support for idea that "early exposure to mercury from thimerosal" could cause problems with mental or psychological functioning later in childhood. Click here for more...
•  CDC further explanation of Thompson Study: The Study found that the majority of the outcomes had NO association with Thimerosal exposure and most associations would be what is expected by chance alone Click here for more...

Other

•   New England Journal of Medicine editorial, Offit, 9/27/07:  "By choosing not to vaccinate their children [because of thimerosal in influenza vaccines], ... parents have elevated a theoretical (and now disproved) risk above the real risk of being hospitalized or killed by influenza." Click here for more...