H1N1, Vaccines, and Mercury
November 3, 2009 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Yes, there is thimerosol in the H1N1 injectable vaccine. Yes, you are being encouraged to have the H1N1 vaccine to prevent the spread of influenza. Yes, there is a very tiny amount of mercury in thimerosol. NO, this does not cause autism.
Several years ago, some doctors made a claim that the vaccines given to children caused autism. As some parents of children with autism wanted to be able to identify a specific cause for their children’s disability, they latched on to the theory that there was a connection between the vaccines and autism. The problem is, the very doctor who made this claim first has come out to say that he was wrong. That his research was wrong. Sadly, this is still a strong belief in some sectors and many people avoid vaccines for fear of exposing their children and themselves to the imagined risk.
In the most recent issue of the Journal of Pediatrics, scientists reported the results of yet another study showing that vaccines with thimerosol do not raise levels of mercury in children. In fact, they found that premature babies, those who are smallest and most vulnerable, showed very minimal levels of mercury after receiving childhood vaccines.
What is particularly interesting is the finding that children appear to have mercury in their body *before* having vaccinations:
The purpose of the study was to find out how much mercury from a vaccine containing thimerosal stays in a child’s body,” said Dr. [Michael E.] Pichichero [Director of the Rochester General Research Institute, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, NY]. “What we found was that blood mercury levels before vaccination were often detectable, even at a level similar to many children after the vaccination. By just breathing the air, mothers were passing to their unborn infants some slight amounts of mercury. The mothers did not eat fish that contains mercury, so in the United States and other countries where fish is consumed by pregnant women the levels of mercury would be presumably even higher. After the babies were given vaccines containing thimerosol, their blood levels of mercury did rise to very low levels and then fell rapidly to baseline levels by day ten after the vaccination following the vaccination.”
Are you going to be vaccinated? Are your children?
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This is very, very VERY ignorant! Vaccines don’t cause autism??!!! Vaccines trigger autism and many many other things in children and adults! My oldest son became autistic after his vaccinations. When your child can look into your eyes, smile, laugh, start to talk, eat food, and then all of a sudden over the course of a few months loose all he learned after those stupid shots, that says something!! We will not vaccinate or get any of those ridiculous shots! We have kids actually getting the swine flu from the shot! These “lovely” people who made the vaccine won’t even get it themselves! Load of crap!
UH!
My heart goes out to anyone who has an autistic child, but I dearly wish we could end the confusion and fears over vaccines. Any link between vaccines/thimerosal and autism has been disproven in a dozen well-done studies. Continuing to villianize vaccines a distraction from time, money, and research being spent on something that can make a difference for treating and preventing autism.
I had my son who was already diagnosed with autism a couple years ago, vaccinated with the regular flu shot, containing thimerosal, and whatever other crap is put into it. You know what I got, especially the day of the shot?! A very zoned out, spacey, and stimming child. Wanted to do nothing but jump, flap, and spin in circles, not to mention the extreme shift in behavior, unbelievable tantrums, things that were never really an issue for us before. Considering he would be more high functioning, you tell me if that is a “NORMAL” reaction! This vaccine did not contain the extra adjuvant in it, and I’ll be damned if I’ll make things worse! Tell me again these vaccines are not harmful!!
Oh, and I forgot, this is all just coincidence! I know the comments that will be coming! Bring it on! He is also an older child, but under 10. I saw the effects in him, the school saw the effects! Unless someone with 100% certainty, can tell me otherwise! Vaccines in some, NOT all, can only do more harm then good!
I to can’t stand it when people say that! How is a coincidence that thousands of children, right after there shots, are becoming autistic! It is sad that many people believe that excuse. I know there is more to this autism epidemic than these horrible shots. I wish we could figure it out! In a few short years we are going to have a lot of 18 year old, autistic adults. What is my son suppose to do? Live off of SSI? He is almost 10 but has the mind of a 1st grader. His 5 yr old brother has already surpassed him mentally. What is going to become of these kids when they are adults?
Off topic I know, but we need a solution and stop this insanity!
Will I have the vaccine? I don’t know. But consider this: one dose of vaccine containt 2,5 micrograms ethylmercury. Eat a can of tuna, and you apparently get a dose og 17 micrograms methylmercury, which is a more dangerous mercury species. That made me far more terrified about what we’re doing to the environment that of both swine flu and vaccines together!
Michelle, that’s bunk. It’s been proven that the vaccines don’t cause autism. Autism happens around the age that we vaccinate our children.
I’m really sorry that your child is autistic. Mine is too. But it wasn’t the vaccine that did it.
That’s “bunk”? Um ok… we will have to agree to disagree there. Nothing has been 100% proven on any side of the debate. I choose not to put those vaccines in my children because I believe, like millions of other parents and people in the medical field, that vaccines can do more harm than good. I am 100% on board with greening the vaccines. Till then, no shots for my family!
What about pregnant women who get the H1N1 vaccine, or any other vaccine preserved with thimerosal? What will be the mercury levels in the babies born to women who were vaccinated?
Marijke, the quote you included would be more useful with more information about where the doctor got his information. There are many, many doctors who know very little about many health aspects, unfortunately for us. They’re not all experts in their own fields.
I’ve blogged about this topic too. It is crucial for the discussion to continue, in my opinion.
Hi, Dr Pichichero is a specialist in Allergy & Immunology, Pediatric Infectious Disease Medicine,and Pediatrics.
He has had several articles published on this topic. In the Lancet alone:
* Mercury in vaccines and potential conflicts of interest
* Mercury in infants given vaccines containing thiomersal
* Mercury concentrations and metabolism in infants receiving vaccines containing thiomersal: a descriptive study
I was hoping I wouldn’t have to run this down myself, is where I was going with my question.
And really, my big concern isn’t older children, it’s pregnant women and their infants.
Here in the U. S., the FDA doesn’t regulate tobacco but it does regulate thimerosal; however, not because they don’t believe it causes autism in children.
My daughters are 19 and 22 and both were actually dx’d with H1N1. One developed a secondary infection, one didn’t. H1N1 overwhelmed the university they attend. They have decided not to get the vaccine. Why when they know for certain they’ve already had it?
In preparing the column for my blog I was stunned to learn that thimerosal was still in use in vaccines of all sorts. I won’t get another vaccination unless I feel certain that it hasn’t been preserved with thimerosal. Yeah, I’m at high risk for flu complications but mercury exposure seems to me to be a legitimate complication from the vaccine, for me at least.
Again, I am so glad that people are discussing this. I’m grateful that we can.