Immunization Works!

  • By Leslie Knowling Holmes County Health Department
  • November 2, 2009
  • 651
                        
Often when parents voice concerns about the safety of vaccines, they mention the additive thimerosal. Some persons have expressed concern that the presence of thimerosal in vaccines has caused an increase in autism in children. There have been many studies done to test this theory and no studies have shown that exposure to thimerosal causes autism. Although there has been no evidence that thimerosal causes autism, thimerosal was removed from all childhood vaccines in 2001. Only flu vaccine packaged in bottles of multiple doses still contains a small amount of thimerosal. Thimerosal is a preservative that is used to prevent bacteria growth in vaccines packaged with more than one dose per bottle. Flu vaccine is available for children in single dose packaging that does not contain thimerosal. Fear of thimerosal should not prevent children from receiving immunizations. Although no vaccine has contained thimerosal since 2001, autism rates have increased. This is unfortunate and studies continue to determine the cause. Unfortunately, when parents have delayed vaccines due to concerns about thimerosal, there have been outbreaks of whooping cough and measles. Any time that vaccine rates decline, the vaccine-preventable diseases reoccur. Protect your child and your community, immunize on time, every time.


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