Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has scored remarkable victories with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). He dismissed the previous 17 members and appointed seven new ones who all doubt vaccine efficacy. This seemingly innocuous move has ignited one of the most passionate and venomous policy debates ever seen over thimerosal. This preservative has been a keystone of Kennedy’s anti-vaccine crusade for multiple years.
For more than twenty years, thimerosal has been the beating heart of Kennedy’s war against vaccines. He has repeatedly called it a “potent neurotoxin” and as a result, said it threatens Americans’ health and safety. In a recent post on June 24, he stated that hundreds of studies have identified thimerosal as a carcinogenic substance. His position on thimerosal is not a recent development – in 2015 he wrote a book calling for an end to its use in vaccines.
Thimerosal and Its Historical Context
Since its introduction, thimerosal has been a sore spot in the anti-vaccination movement. It was initially used as a vaccine preservative to protect against contamination. Public outcry ushered the chemical first out of household products, and then by 2001 from almost all childhood vaccines. However, it is still used in some formulations, particularly in multi-dose vials for influenza vaccines. For all of the positive uses we mention above, its overall use has tanked.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to regulate thimerosal, listing 12 influenza vaccine formulations for the upcoming flu seasons. Thimerosal only has a presence in a minuscule portion of vaccine vials. This paltry amount is a drop in the bucket when it comes to the rest of available domestic flu shot supply.
“may have caused autism in thousands of kids” – Robert F Kennedy Jr
Kennedy has previously insisted that thimerosal could lead to the development of autism in children. He popularized such radical claims in a 2005 article co-released by Rolling Stone and Salon. That study was indeed later retracted in 2011 for its unsound claims and absence of credible evidence.
Scientific Consensus on Thimerosal
Over the years, many scientific studies have examined the safety of thimerosal-containing vaccines. Three controlled studies and two uncontrolled epidemiologic studies have all found no increased risk of autism with thimerosal. Experts such as Dr. Mark Sawyer, a pediatrics professor at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, affirm that children can receive the routine pediatric vaccine schedule without any thimerosal-containing vaccines.
Dr Jake Scott, an infectious disease specialist at Stanford University School of Medicine, confirmed this viewpoint by stating that “children receiving the routine pediatric vaccine schedule can get completely immunized without any thimerosal-containing vaccines.” This scientific consensus is a testament to the decades of rigorous research that has been conducted on vaccine safety and efficacy.
Changes to Vaccine Recommendations
When Kennedy’s influence on the newly constituted vaccine panel starts making recommendations there will be big changes in vaccine recommendations. A year ago, after much documented pressure from the public, the panel voted to cease recommending flu vaccines that include thimerosal. This is a welcome decision that recognizes the increasing sensitivities to vaccine ingredients among some population segments.
Another key point was underscored by Rachel Roper, microbiology and immunology professor at East Carolina University. Thimerosal was removed from vaccines largely because of public perception, not because there was scientific evidence proving it had harmful effects. This underscored the uphill battle public health officials have had to continue to combat vaccine hesitancy.
