A new study conducted by a team of collaborative researchers from the non-profit 501(c)3 Institute of Chronic Illnesses, Inc and CoMeD, Inc, as well as researchers from the Simpson University and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas has found a dose-response relationship between organic mercury exposure from Thimerosal-containing vaccines and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Background
Thimerosal is a an organometallic compound containing mercury, commonly used as a preservative. In particular its use in vaccines meant to be injected in pregnant women and infants is heavily discussed, because of the well known toxicity of organic mercury compounds. While the toxicity of thimerosal cannot be denied, its use in vaccines is declared to be safe mainly because of the amount used is believed to be below any risk level and the metabolism is believed to take care for fast clearance from the body avoiding any bioaccumulation. However, both these factors are still controversially discussed.
The new studyIn this new study, the researchers conducted a hypothesis testing case-control study to evaluate concerns about the toxic effects of organic-mercury (Hg) from Thimerosal-containing (49.55% Hg by weight) vaccines on the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs). They examined automated medical records to identify cases and controls enrolled from their date-of-birth (1991-2000) in the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) project. ND cases were diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), specific developmental delay, tic disorder or hyperkinetic syndrome of childhood. In addition, putative non-Thimerosal-related outcomes of febrile seizure, failure to thrive, and cerebral degeneration were examined.
The cumulative total dose of Hg exposure from Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccine administered within the first six months of life was calculated on a per microgram of organic-Hg basis, PDD (odds ratio = 1.054, p < 0.001), specific developmental delay (odds ratio = 1.035, p < 0.001), tic disorder (odds ratio = 1.034, p < 0.001), and hyperkinetic syndrome of childhood (odds ratio = 1.05, p < 0.001) cases were significantly more likely than controls to receive increased organic-Hg exposure. Overall, it was observed for 37.5 µg organic-Hg exposure (the maximum cumulative dose of organic-Hg examined) that cases diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder (odds ratio = 3.0, 95% confidence interval = 2.3-3.8), specific developmental delay (odds ratio = 2.3, 95% confidence interval = 2.1-2.5), tic disorder (odds ratio = 2.2, 95% confidence interval = 1.5-3.1) or hyperkinetic syndrome of childhood (odds ratio = 2.9, 95% confidence interval = 2.5-3.2) were significantly more likely than controls to receive increased organic-Hg exposure from Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccines administered within the first six months of life.
In addition, analyses were conducted by separating the data by gender.
On a per microgram of organic-Hg exposure basis, male cases diagnosed with PDD (odds ratio = 1.07, p < 0.001), specific developmental delay (odds ratio = 1.04, p < 0.001), tic disorder (odds ratio = 1.03, p < 0.05) or hyperkinetic syndrome of childhood (odds ratio = 1.05, p < 0.001) were significantly more likely than male controls to receive increased organic-Hg exposure from Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccines administered within the first six months of life. Overall, it was observed for 37.5 µg organic-Hg exposure (the maximum cumulative dose of organic-Hg examined) that male cases diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder (odds ratio = 3.6, 95% confidence interval = 2.9-4.4), specific developmental delay (odds ratio = 2.5, 95% confidence interval = 2.1-2.9), tic disorder (odds ratio = 2.1, 95% confidence interval = 1.15-2.9) or hyperkinetic syndrome of childhood (odds ratio = 2.9, 95% confidence interval = 2.5-3.2) were significantly more likely than male controls to receive increased organic-Hg exposure from Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccines administered within the first six months of life.
On a per microgram of organic-Hg exposure basis, female cases diagnosed with specific developmental delay (odds ratio = 1.03, p < 0.001), tic disorder (odds ratio = 1.05, p < 0.05) or hyperkinetic syndrome of childhood (odds ratio = 1.04, p < 0.001) were significantly more likely than controls to receive increased organic-Hg exposure from Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccines s administered within the first six months of life. Overall, it was observed for 37.5 microgram organic-Hg exposure (the maximum cumulative dose of organic-Hg examined) that female cases diagnosed with specific developmental delay (odds ratio = 2.1, 95% confidence interval = 1.7-2.5), tic disorder (odds ratio = 2.9, 95% confidence interval = 1.4-4.7) or hyperkinetic syndrome of childhood (odds ratio = 2.5, 95% confidence interval = 1.7-3.2) were significantly more likely than female controls to receive increased organic-Hg exposure from Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccines administered within the first six months of life.
By contrast, for the putative non-Thimerosal-related outcomes of febrile seizures (odds ratio = 1, p > 0.50), failure to thrive (odds ratio = 0.98, p < 0.001) or cerebral degeneration (odds ratio = 0.95, p < 0.001), the cases were no more likely than the controls to have received increased organic-Hg exposure from Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccines administered within the first six months of life.
This study provides new epidemiological evidence supporting a significant relationship between increasing organic-Hg exposure from Thimerosal-containing vaccines and the subsequent risk of an ND diagnosis. The authors conclude that future studies should be completed to further evaluate the relationship between other sources of organic-Hg exposure from Thimerosal-containing vaccines and other chronic disorders and to further explore potential sub-populations and the timing of exposure to organic-Hg from Thimerosal-containing vaccine administration associated with adverse outcomes.
The authors also express their position towards routine childhood vaccination as an important public health tool to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with infectious diseases. However, they emphasize that it is also a public health imperative to end the unnecessary addition of Thimerosal to vaccines based on data showing an association between its administration and adverse outcomes.
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Related information U.S.
House of Representatives' 2003 report: Mercury in Medicine - Taking
Unnecessary Risks (the result of a 3-year investigation) FDA: Thimerosal in vaccines F
DA: Mercury in Food and Drugs CDC: Thimerosal in Vaccines: A Joint Statement of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Public Health Service Coalition for Mercury-free Drugs (CoMeD): Calls for Ban on Mercury in Vaccines Coalition for Mercury-free Drugs (CoMeD): Documents related to the use of thimerosal in vaccines Coalition for Mercury-free Drugs (CoMeD): The Viability of Using Non-mercury Preservatives in Vaccines
Related EVISA Resources
Link database: Toxicity of Organo-mercury compounds Link database: Research projects related to organo-mercury compounds Link database: All about thimerosal (thiomersal)
Related EVISA News (newest first)
July 2, 2018: Thiomersal in influenza vaccine: more than just an adjuvant
December
18, 2017: Thimerosal and Autism: CDC Manipulation of Vaccine Data
Reported in the Journal of American Physicians and SurgeonsNovember 12, 2017: Mercury and Autism: Is there a Link ?
February 15, 2017: Toxicity of organomercury compounds
May 5, 2014: Global policy on the use of mercury as a preservative in vaccine called discriminatory July 17, 2012: World Health Organization Fails In Its Effort To Defend Mercury In Vaccines Before United Nations June 19, 2012: Vaccine ingredient causes brain damage; some nutrients prevent it October 28, 2011: WHO worries mercury treaty could affect costs and availability of vaccines August 8, 2011: UNEP Global Mercury Treaty May Include Ban on Mercury in Medicine
June 19, 2011: Committee for Socio-economic Analysis agrees on
two draft opinions on restriction proposals for mercury compounds under
REACH
March 17, 2011: Researchers Urge the Removal of Mercury From Flu Shots
September 25, 2010: The European Chemical Agency (ECHA) calls for
comments on reports proposing restrictions on mercury and phenylmercury August 16, 2010: Methylmercury: What have we learned from Minamata Bay? September 24, 2009: Huge field experiment for assessing human ethylmercury risk starting in october July 15, 2009: New Study Finds: Thimerosal Induces Autism-like Neurotoxicity May 15, 2008: New study will investigate the influence of environmental factors in autism
last time modified: May 17, 2024
