Babies, Parenting, Child Health, Infant Nutrition

Child Development – University of Rochester Study Finds Thimerosal Cannot Reach Toxic Levels

02.05.2008 | 8:02:43 pm | Posted by mummums

By Colleen Hurley, RD, Certified Kid’s Nutrition Specialist

child development, child health The infant vaccine debate continues with veracity. The claim of an vaccine-autism link has been one of the highest disputed topics in medical history. This week, a group of pediatricians hope to ban the airing of a new show they feel may paint vaccines in a poor light, while a new study found mercury from vaccines does not remain in an infant’s blood long enough to cause any problems.

The media often feeds the fire with erroneous information for both sides of the debate. A new ABC drama entitled “Eli Stone” has landed under the radar of the largest group of pediatricians in the United States, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The show, set to debut this Thursday, follows the life of a lawyer who also happens to be the main character. The lawyer wins a case for an autistic child claiming a vaccine caused the condition. In the show, the maker of the vaccine would not administer it to his own child, thus awarding the represented family millions of dollars.

The AAP has made a bold statement saying a show that perpetuates the myth that vaccines are harmful to children is the pinnacle of irresponsibility. The AAP wrote a letter to ABC executives asking them to cancel the first episode of the show stating parents may refuse to vaccinate their infants and children. ABC has refused to cancel the show saying it is only mirroring current national topics.

Meanwhile, a new study to be published this month in Pediatrics, the AAP’s medical journal, has a different story. The study found that the controversial mercury containing preservative, thimerosal, is rapidly excreted from the body and cannot reach toxic levels. Thimerosal has been banned from use in vaccines in the United States since 1999, so the study was conducted in Buenos Aires, Argentina where thimerosal is still used. The 216 infants in the study had their blood-mercury levels checked before and after vaccination, as well as at their 2 and 6 months checkups. The time it took for the body to excrete thimerosal was about 3.7 days, while mercury from fish can remain in the blood stream up to 44 days. Doctors on the research team feel with such a short-lived time in an infant’s body, thimerosal could not cause any real harm.

Researchers conclude if mercury could be responsible for autism, toxic levels would be far below anything experts previously thought. In addition, researchers hope thimerosal will be banned from use in vaccines globally to reduce any further misinformation. Another recent study found that despite the decline in thimerosal use, autism rates continue to climb. The AAP released the study to the press early in hopes to refute the upcoming ABC show. For more information on infant vaccines, see the Children and Vaccines post.

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