Thimerosal, which is approximately 50% mercury by weight, has been one of the most widely used preservatives in vaccines. It is metabolized or degraded to ethylmercury and thiosalicylate. Ethylmercury is an organomercurial that should be distinguished from methylmercury, a related substance that has been the focus of considerable study (see "Guidelines on Exposure to Organomercurials" and "Thimerosal Toxicity", below).

At concentrations found in vaccines, thimerosal meets the requirements for a preservative as set forth by the United States Pharmacopeia; that is, it kills the specified challenge organisms and is able to prevent the growth of the challenge fungi (U.S. Pharmacopeia 2004). Thimerosal in concentrations of 0.001% (1 part in 100,000) to 0.01% (1 part in 10,000) has been shown to be effective in clearing a broad spectrum of pathogens. A vaccine containing 0.01% thimerosal as a preservative contains 50 micrograms of thimerosal per 0.5 mL dose or approximately 25 micrograms of mercury per 0.5 mL dose.

Prior to its introduction in the 1930's, data were available in several animal species and humans providing evidence for its safety and effectiveness as a preservative (Powell and Jamieson 1931). Since then, thimerosal has been the subject of several studies (see Bibliography) and has a long record of safe and effective use preventing bacterial and fungal contamination of vaccines, with no ill effects established other than minor local reactions at the site of injection.

While the use of mercury-containing preservatives has declined in recent years with the development of new products formulated with alternative or no preservatives, thimerosal has been used in some immune globulin preparations, anti-venins, skin test antigens, and ophthalmic and nasal products, in addition to certain vaccines. Under the FDA Modernization Act of 1997, the FDA compiled a list of regulated products containing mercury, including those with thimerosal (Federal Register 1999). It is important to note that this list was compiled in 1999; some products listed are no longer manufactured and many products have been reformulated without thimerosal. Updated lists of vaccines and their thimerosal content can be found in Table 1 (routinely recommended pediatric vaccines) and Table 3 (expanded list of vaccines).

Mercury is the second most toxic element on earth to plutonium. Toxicity of mercury has been linked to many different diseases, including autism, learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, depression, and bipolar disorder. The amount of mercury found in one mercury thermometer is enough to pollute a small lake.

Health effects of mercury toxicity have been a concern because of the potential for it to act as a poison. Toxic doses of mercury can cause developmental effects in the fetus, as well as affecting the kidney and the nervous system in children and adults. Mercury exists in a number of different chemical forms, each one consisting of different levels of toxicity. The forms of mercury can also be converted from one to another in the environment and in the body, so symptoms caused by mercury poisoning depends on the precise chemical forms involved.

Mercury can be toxic when inhaled, eaten, or when placed on the skin. Low concentrations of mercury may appear to have no effect but signs of toxicity can develop later or become more noticeable with continued exposure. When toxicity in humans takes place loss of feeling or a burning sensation in arms and legs, psychological effects, loss of memory, loss of vision, loss of hearing, paralysis, congenital malformations, kidney toxicity, and death may occur. Prenatal toxicity can result in a child with normal appearance at birth but who later exhibits a developmental delay in the ability to walk and/or talk. Because of the long latent period for observable effects, the need for treatment may be recognized too late.

Health effects vary according to the amount of mercury exposure is taken into the body. The health risks of mercury at low levels of exposure remain uncertain, but this continues to be a highly debatable topic with ongoing scientific investigation. Fetuses, infants and small children appear to be particularly sensitive to mercury because their brains are still developing. Vaccines with mercury have been considered to contribute to autism, learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s Disease, and other neurological conditions, and an FDA review conducted in 1998 determined that, at the time, children who received the full complement of childhood vaccines were potentially exposed to levels of mercury that were sometimes 30 to 50 times the acceptable levels established by the EPA.

High-level exposures to mercury can cause serious effects or even be lethal. Several historical examples of epidemic mercury poisonings in other parts of the world provide classic examples of investigative epidemiology and toxicology and serve to highlight the reasons why regulators are concerned about mercury. Effects on the brain and nervous system are frequently seen with high-level exposures to mercury and can be quite severe.

Since 2001, with the exception of some influenza (flu) vaccines, thimerosal is not used as a preservative in routinely recommended childhood vaccines.

Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines and other products since the 1930's. There is no convincing evidence of harm caused by the low doses of thimerosal in vaccines, except for minor reactions like redness and swelling at the injection site. However, in July 1999, the Public Health Service agencies, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and vaccine manufacturers agreed that thimerosal should be reduced or eliminated in vaccines as a precautionary measure.

Bill Gill

There is no convincing evidence of harm caused by the low doses of thimerosal in vaccines, except for minor reactions like redness and swelling at the injection site.

However, in July 1999, the Public Health Service agencies, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and vaccine manufacturers agreed that thimerosal should be reduced or eliminated in vaccines as a precautionary measure.

Since 2001

As for those 'imagined' silver flakes. Neither Benedetta, nor myself claimed them to be mercury in pure metal form, but they were obviously some kind of mercury containing precipitate.

I do know that my kids DPT vials were shaken, by different nurses...I could actually see the silver flakes in the vial."

Scary or what!! "Thimerosal should be stored at room temperature protected from light", according to the Sigma product instructions, but vaccines require refridgeration. I can only shudder about those 'silver flakes' in the vials, injected into Benedetta's, (and GOD knows how many other) children.

I do know that my kids DPT vials were shaken, by different nurses.

A young nurse that acted very conscientious got the vial out of the refrig, turned her watch over to her wrist so she could time it and then proceeded to turn it upside down and right side up during the alloted time- in a rather gentle manner.

I could actually see the silver flakes in the vial.

Personally I would take the odds of mercury poisoning any day over whatever the vaccine is stopping but hey you feel free to not take them Paul we just might get lucky yet

Can't remember the last time I was sick .... think it was probably from food poisoning in Mexico which is a couple of years ago.

Guest Post: The Real Dangers of Mercury

Bill Gill

It was the first book by a patient that spoke to our current interest in taking charge of our own health. It started the revolution in patients.

Diagnosed with a life-threatening and incurable condition, Cousins checked himself out of the hospital and basically healed himself with laughter, rest and Vitamin C.

A few years later, he recovered from a major heart attack on his own and wrote about that, too.

These books jump-started the whole field of mind-body medicine. Hundreds of books have followed in its tradition, for example, The Art of Getting Well:

Anatomy of an Illness holds up well. It's still relevant.

Not everything here will apply to most readers, because Cousins was a major cultural figure with many physicians among his friends. Not everyone would have his self-confidence or his sources of support.

But his ideas and his approach are more needed than ever today.

but that would only be true if it were true.

and I would only believe it , if I had a reason to believe you.

Ok tell you what lets settle this last one to drop dead was telling the truth

... Ok tell you what! Let's settle this last one to drop dead was telling the truth

I think GOD must be like Rev K says, kind and gentle or else he has a great sense of humour because he still hasn't struck me down yet much to your disappointment.

Orac, how about you? Atheist? Agnostic? Or what?

At the same time, scientists should protest against ideas of young Earth creationism, intelligent design and anti-evolution propaganda.

science is bad and evil garbage

A vaccine containing 0.01% thimerosal as a preservative contains 50 micrograms of thimerosal per 0.5 mL dose or approximately 25 micrograms of mercury per 0.5 mL dose.

Rev and Orac ... amaranth could you please keep people from posting off topic?

this thread is not about religion, orac for someone who has such a hatred for religions as you do you certainly do love to talk about religion.

rev for someone who does not believe in God you sure do like to impose your version of what you want God to be in threads that are not about religion.

OK, let's get back to some science. The level of mercury in vaccines is about .01%.
[quote]A vaccine containing 0.01% thimerosal as a preservative contains 50 micrograms of thimerosal per 0.5 mL dose or approximately 25 micrograms of mercury per 0.5 mL dose.

Vaccines with mercury have been considered to contribute to autism, learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s Disease, and other neurological conditions, and an FDA review conducted in 1998 determined that, at the time, children who received the full complement of childhood vaccines were potentially exposed to levels of mercury that were sometimes 30 to 50 times the acceptable levels established by the EPA.

High-level exposures to mercury can cause serious effects or even be lethal. Several historical examples of epidemic mercury poisonings in other parts of the world provide classic examples of investigative epidemiology and toxicology and serve to highlight the reasons why regulators are concerned about mercury. Effects on the brain and nervous system are frequently seen with high-level exposures to mercury and can be quite severe.

About 20 children and teens per day in the U.S. went to the emergency room with a gun injury in 2009, according to a new study of ER data. Six percent ultimately died from their injuries.

the below isnt from me , its from the FDA.

Frist's bill would protect Eli Lilly and other vaccine makers from lawsuits, including the growing controversy of thimerosal. When writing the bill, Frist consulted with Eli Lilly, as well as other interested parties. In 2002, Eli Lilly and the company's employees contributed $226,250 to the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee that Frist has led. When Frist wrote a book on bioterrorism that was published following the September 11, 2001 attacks, Eli Lilly bought 5,000 copies of it and distributed the book to doctors around the U.S.

the link to the page that I quoted is in the first post in this thread.

It is not from the FDA as you stated.

Lilly boosted the sales of Frist's book on bioterrorism, published after Sept. 11, 2001, by buying 5,000 copies and distributing them to doctors.

Smith, Frist's spokesman, said Lilly's promotion of the book did not affect the company's relationship with the senator.

"All of the book sales were handled by the publisher," Smith said. "I don't know that Senator Frist knew who was buying how many copies at what time."

As the head of the political committee to elect Republican senators, Frist was heavily involved in fund raising.

The pharmaceutical and health products industry gave the Republican campaign committee nearly $4 million, the largest amount from a corporate contributor, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Jamie Court, executive director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said the liability protection is the drug companies' "first payback" for big campaign contributions.

The original study which implicated vaccines in autism has been completely refuted and withdrawn.

Can you give me a link to where the FDA has this posted? I would like to see the original report.

The original study which implicated vaccines in autism has been completely refuted and withdrawn.

Nobody was ever able to duplicate the information in the one study that claimed such a connection.

So you are the one that needs to prove them.

you're the one making the outrageous unscientific claims.

Dr. Martin Blaser says that a rise in "modern plagues" can be tied to overuse of antibiotics and other medical practices. (Reuters/Fabrizio Bensch)

Antibiotics have changed medicine and saved lives, but while killing certain illnesses they may have also enabled others.

Dr. Martin Blaser argues the overuse of antibiotics has altered the delicate balance of microbes living in all of us, making us vulnerable to a range of new diseases.

Dr. Martin Blaser has studied the role of bacteria in human disease for more than 30 years. In his new book, Dr. Blaser raises alarm bells about how the overuse of antibiotics and Cesarian sections may be taking a toll on the diversity of bacteria in our bodies, with consequences for our metabolism, immunity, and cognition.

Dr. Martin Blaser is a professor of medicine and infectious diseases at New York University. He is also the author of Missing Microbes: How the overuse of antibiotics is fueling our modern plagues.
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http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/201...-our-own-peril/

It is a very complex mechanism. The brain does so much developing while in utero, and after birth up to about age 3-4 ...

... I expect if I were tested I would fall somewhere in the Asperger's continuum.

Somewhat brilliant mind, totally at sea socially. I'm the one at the cocktail party with a drink in hand standing in the corner looking nervous and out of place.

... FREE of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other "western" diseases. They are also very lean despite eating up to 15 lbs of meat on "feasting days" when they successfully get a kill.

We've already talked in previous newsletters how having gut dysbiosis (an imbalance of bad to good bacteria in your gut) has been linked in numerous studies to everything from obesity, brain conditions, skin conditions, digestive disorders, and even cancer.

Getting back to the Men's Fitness article (btw, I think MF is stepping up their game, as this was the best article I've seen them publish in a while; Good work MF!), the author shows some links between gut bugs and obesity, saying "obese people's GI tracts have a less diverse population of bacteria than those of lean people"

Bruce German, a PhD food chemist from the Foods for Health Institute at the Univ of California states in the article, "The inappropriate, indiscriminate use of antibiotics looks like it's been a real problem for our microbiota. We tended, for decades, to believe that there really was no risk associated with antibiotics, so it was widely prescribed for just about anything."

The article continues, "However, a recent study from the Stanford University School of Medicine showed that the first few days of antibiotic use will decimate the population of gut flora, which frees up the sugar and nutrients that harmful pathogens use to gain an upper hand. If you're lucky, this sort of damage can take more than a month to repair, and some bacteria strains may experience a permanent loss."

As you can see, our belly bugs are one of THE most important aspects of our health and whether we get certain diseases or gain weight. And your gut flora balance is completely controlled by how you live your life, what you eat, how much exercise you get and the type, stress levels, social bonds, your surrounding microbial environment, and more...