Latest news with #AmericanAcademyOfPediatrics
Fox News
21 hours ago
- Health
- Fox News
CDC committee moves to phase out controversial mercury ingredient from flu vaccines
Print Close By Melissa Rudy Published June 27, 2025 A vaccine ingredient is in the spotlight this week, as a preservative called thimerosal was included on the agenda for a meeting of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). "Presentation regarding thimerosal in vaccines" was listed as an agenda item for Thursday, June 26, followed by "Proposed recommendations regarding thimerosal-containing influenza vaccine." Thimerosal (also spelled thiomersal) is a mercury‑based preservative that has been used in multi-dose vaccines and medications since the 1930s as a means of preventing contamination, according to the CDC. CDC REMOVES COVID VACCINE RECOMMENDATION FOR HEALTHY CHILDREN AND PREGNANT WOMEN The ingredient is intended to prevent contamination by stopping the growth of bacteria and fungi, the same source states. Due to growing concerns about potential mercury exposure, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Public Health Service agencies and vaccine manufacturers agreed that thimerosal should be "reduced or eliminated in vaccines." In 2001, thimerosal was removed from all vaccines recommended for children 6 and younger — except for influenza. Today, multi-dose flu vaccines still contain thimerosal, but other versions are available without the ingredient. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER At the June 27 meeting, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to recommend that all adults (including pregnant women) and all children 18 years and younger should receive seasonal influenza vaccines only in single-dose formulations that do not contain thimerosal, according to meeting notes published by the CDC. Despite these recommendations, the CDC and other health agencies have claimed there is no evidence that thimerosal poses health risks. "Thimerosal use in medical products has a record of being very safe," the agency's website states. "Data from many studies show no evidence of harm caused by the low doses of thimerosal in vaccines." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Dr. Jacob Glanville, CEO of Centivax, a San Francisco biotechnology company, reiterated that American children have not been receiving thimerosal for over 20 years in their vaccines, but that it remains in some multi-use vial vaccines, mostly outside the U.S. "We support any effort to remove it entirely — there are other preservatives that are not based on mercury," Glanville told Fox News Digital. For more Health articles, visit Glanville noted that his company's vaccines never contain mercury, aluminum, formaldehyde, or pig- or cow-derived materials. Print Close URL
Health Line
21 hours ago
- Health
- Health Line
Is Thimerosal in Flu Shots Safe? Experts Discuss CDC Vaccine Decision
A CDC advisory panel voted 5–1 to recommend only flu vaccines without the preservative thimerosal. Thimerosal is a mercury-containing compound used as a preservative in vaccines and other drugs. Doctors and physician advocacy groups warn that the decision could lead to more confusion and vaccine hesitancy. A CDC advisory committee voted 5-1 on Thursday to recommend only single-dose formulations of flu shots that do not contain the preservative thimerosal. The vote follows a shakeup of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), in which Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed all 17 members of the panel and hand-picked their replacements. The ouster and subsequent ACIP vote have caused alarm among doctors and physician advocacy organizations—including the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) — who claim the committee is stoking confusion and distrust in vaccines. 'It further undermines vaccine confidence. And they're doing this despite a massive amount of data that confirms that thimerosal is a safe and effective preservative,' said Jake Scott, MD, clinical associate professor of infectious diseases at Stanford Medicine. Thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative, has been used since the 1930s in vaccines and other drugs. Since the 1990s, it has been the target of intense speculation and debate due to claims — now debunked — that linked it to autism and neurotoxicity. ACIP's new recommendations contradict numerous studies and decades' worth of data showing no link between thimerosal and autism or other neurological conditions. 'This decision does not appear to be data-driven at all,' said Saahir Khan, MD, PhD, an infectious disease specialist with Keck Medicine of USC. 'This will sow a lot of distrust and probably lead to reduced vaccine uptake rates because they are sending a message that indirectly says that we don't think vaccines with thimerosal are safe, whereas the evidence shows that they are safe,' Khan said. What is thimerosal? Thimerosal, which contains about 50% mercury by weight, is one of the most widely used preservatives in vaccines. Every time a drug vial is pierced, it is susceptible to bacterial and fungal contamination. Thimerosal prevents microbial growth and contamination. Today, the use of thimerosal-containing vaccines has declined due to the advent of single-dose vaccine formulations. All routinely recommended vaccines for U.S. children ages 6 and younger are available in formulations without thimerosal. The vast majority of flu shots administered last flu season, about 96%, were also free of thimerosal. ACIP's recommendation this week against thimerosal-containing flu shots applies only to vaccines packaged in multi-dose vials. While multi-dose vials make up only a small subset of flu shots, the format is important for public health. 'Multi-dose vials are cheaper, easier to deploy, and essential for equitable access. They're especially important during pandemics. They proved to be essential during the H1N1 pandemic when single-dose supplies run out a lot faster,' said Scott. Following a review in 1999, conducted as part of the FDA Modernization Act (FDAMA), the FDA, National Institutes of Health (NIH), CDC, and others recommended that thimerosal be removed from childhood vaccines as a precautionary measure. That recommendation was based on 'scientific uncertainty' at the time and sought to reduce total mercury exposure in infants. That review found ' no evidence of harm ' caused by thimerosal in vaccines beyond localized reactions. However, it noted that some infants' cumulative mercury exposure in their first six months exceeded EPA recommendations, and that removing thimerosal could reduce this overall exposure. At vaccine concentrations, thimerosal delivers roughly 25 micrograms of mercury per 0.5 mL dose — about the same amount found in a three-ounce can of tuna. However, there's also an important distinction between the mercury found in thimerosal and tuna. Certain kinds of fish contain methylmercury, which can be toxic. Thimerosal contains ethylmercury, which, in contrast, is eliminated far more rapidly from the body and thus is far less likely to persist and cause harm. Revisiting the thimerosal controversy In the lead-up to this week's vote, Lyn Redwood, a retired nurse practitioner and president emeritus of Children's Health Defense — a group formerly chaired by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose mission is 'ending childhood health epidemics by eliminating toxic exposures' — reiterated many claims against thimerosal in an ACIP presentation. However, those claims — especially the alleged link between thimerosal and neurotoxicity — have been extensively debunked. 'There have been multiple well-controlled studies, randomized meta-analyses, and trials comparing vaccines with thimerosal to vaccines without thimerosal to see if there was any difference in neurological outcomes, and these trials generally did not find any connection between thimerosal at the doses used in vaccines and neurological conditions,' said Khan. An often-cited Danish study that included over half a million children found no causal relationship between thimerosal and the development of autism. Another large study of more than 100,000 children in the United Kingdom also found no evidence to support a link between thimerosal and neurodevelopmental disorders. A 2010 study found that exposure to thimerosal in prenatal or infant stages did not increase the risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Perhaps most telling, Scott points out, is that even after thimerosal has been removed from vaccines, autism rates continued to rise. Such was the case for Denmark, which removed thimerosal in 1991, and the United States in 2003. Doctors warn that ACIP's recommendation fails to consider these studies and the large body of evidence supporting vaccine safety. And that will inevitably have consequences for the health of Americans. 'Our studies show that vaccines are safe and effective. I recommend them based on my medical experience, but some people are going to refuse. And unfortunately, they're going to put themselves at higher risk of infection and they're going to put the people around them at higher risk of infection,' said Khan.
CBS News
2 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
RFK Jr.'s vaccine committee votes against rarely used flu shot preservative, backs new RSV shot
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's panel of vaccine advisers voted Thursday in their first official move after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired the committee's previous experts and replaced them with his own picks. A majority of the committee approved updated recommendations for a new shot for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, and voted to urge Americans to avoid a small number of flu vaccines that use the preservative thimerosal despite evidence of its safety. Votes by the panel are closely watched by health authorities because they are tied to federal policies and programs that enable access to vaccines, including requirements for insurance coverage and funding to provide shots for uninsured children. Other vaccines were also being discussed by the panel, but not voted on, including those for COVID-19, measles, chikungunya and anthrax. Kennedy's new committee also announced Wednesday that it would start a renewed review of all recommended pediatric vaccines, over fears about the "cumulative effect" that the shots could be having on children. That includes weighing changes to recommendations for hepatitis B and measles vaccines given early in life. The American Academy of Pediatrics, or AAP, denounced the move as sowing distrust in safe and effective immunizations, and warned Wednesday against curbing hepatitis B recommendations. "Secretary Kennedy has given this committee a clear mandate to use evidence-based medicine when making vaccine recommendations, and that is what we will do. Vaccines are not all good or bad," Dr. Martin Kulldorff, the panel's chair, said Wednesday. Flu vaccines and thimerosal The panel's majority vote to recommend against flu vaccines with thimerosal is unlikely to impact many Americans, since the mercury-based preservative is already rarely used in the shots. During the 2024-2025 season, 96% of all influenza vaccines in the U.S. were thimerosal-free, according to the CDC. "If we want to have confidence in vaccines, and we want to promote people taking vaccines, we should remove this mercury-containing preservative from the seasonal influenza," said Kulldorff. One of the panel's advisers, Dr. Cody Meissner of Dartmouth University, questioned why the committee was reopening an old issue that had previously been addressed by health authorities, potentially undermining a heavily studied vaccine ingredient. "The ACIP makes recommendations based on scientific evidence, as much as possible, and there is no scientific evidence that thimerasol has caused a problem," Meissner said, who was the only panelist to vote against the change. Thimerosal has been added to vaccines since the 1930s to help prevent bacteria in multi-dose vials of vaccine. It contains a form of mercury called ethylmercury, which is different from the methylmercury found in some seafood. "Ethylmercury is excreted much more quickly from the body. It is not associated with the high neurotoxicity that methylmercury is," Meissner said. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that a "robust body of peer-reviewed scientific studies conducted in the U.S. and other countries support the safety of thimerosal-containing vaccines." Anti-vaccine groups have falsely tied thimerosal to autism. However, well-designed studies have found no evidence that thimerosal causes autism. CDC officials told CBS News they saw the meeting as an early test case demonstrating how Kennedy has tightened his grip over the federal vaccine recommendations process and eroded its credibility. Multiple liaison members of the panel, representing outside groups, objected to the committee bypassing the rigorous, usually monthslong CDC systemic review process that studies evidence on the need, impact and feasibility of new recommendations. Some worried re-debating settled science could contribute to unnecessary fears or doubts around vaccines that have long been considered safe. "This selective use of data and omission of established science undermines public trust and fuels misinformation. The science on thimerosal is settled, and the rhetoric being used to suggest otherwise is misleading and harmful," Dr. Sean O'Leary, head of the AAP's infectious diseases committee, said in a statement. Instead, the vote was based mainly on a presentation by Lyn Redwood, the former head of a group founded by Kennedy that has lobbied against vaccine authorizations and requirements. Redwood has been hired to work in the agency's vaccine safety office, though she said Thursday she was speaking only as a private citizen. "I think it's inappropriate to dismiss a presentation, just because the person does not have a PhD or an MD. There are a lot of knowledgeable people who we would like to hear from, and we want to hear from a variety of viewpoints," Kulldorff said. Ahead of the meeting, the CDC removed a review the agency previously posted on its website that debunked claims about how the preservative could cause autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders. "My understanding is that article was not authorized by the Office of the Secretary, and has been removed consequent. I'm sure that the Office of the Secretary will make note of your comment," panelist Dr. Robert Malone said. Malone was responding to a question from Phyllis Arthur of Bio, a trade group that represents vaccinemakers, who had called for the CDC's evidence review to be restored to the website. Molly Howell of the Association of Immunization Managers worried the move could also impact plans for a potential pandemic influenza vaccine, which currently rely on the potential use of the preservative. "Future meetings of ACIP and CDC will have to consider those things," Kulldorff said. RSV shot An RSV vaccine during pregnancy and another antibody shot called clesrovimab that can be given to newborns have previously been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and recommended by the CDC to prevent the disease. The committee Thursday voted by a majority — five in favor, two against — to recommend a shot for newborns, branded as Enflonsia by Merck, adding another option to the already approved immunizations. Two of the panel's new members — Retsef Levi, an operations management professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Vicki Pebsworth, the research director of a group focused on preventing vaccine injuries and deaths — voted against recommendations for the shot. Pebsworth said she worried about coadministration of the shot with other childhood vaccines, despite data presented by the CDC's Vaccine Safety Datalink showing that RSV antibody shots being given alongside other vaccines are not resulting in a safety risk. Levi said that he was uncomfortable with clinical trial data he claimed suggested that deaths could be more frequent after use of the shots. He cited his experience as a parent, saying that "as a father, I can feel that I would be concerned." "I don't feel this is ready to be administered to all healthy babies. I think we should take a more precautionary approach to this," Levi said. That was at odds with reviews by the CDC and FDA, which did not turn up evidence of this risk. An FDA official told the panel that the death rates — 0.3% after the shot versus 0.2% without — were not significant, and that careful reviews of the deaths concluded that their causes were not related to the drug. Meissner disagreed with Levi, warning that 80% of children hospitalized with RSV are healthy with no underlying conditions. Meissner had previously participated in the deliberations of the committee's work group as an outside adviser, before Kennedy purged its voting members. "The work group has spent an enormous amount of time, the FDA has spent an enormous effort looking at safety and efficacy, and it is simply not an issue here," he said.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
RFK Jr.'s vaccine committee votes on new RSV immunization, flu shots
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's influential panel of vaccine advisers Thursday approved updated recommendations for a new shot for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. It is also set to vote on recommendations for this year's influenza vaccine. Their votes mark the panel's first official move after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired the committee's experts and replaced them with his own picks earlier this month. Votes by the panel are closely watched by health authorities because they are tied to federal policies and programs that enable access to vaccines, including requirements for insurance coverage and funding to provide shots for uninsured children. Other vaccines are also being discussed by the panel, but not voted on, including those for COVID-19, chikungunya and anthrax. Kennedy's new committee also announced Wednesday that it would start a renewed review of all recommended pediatric vaccines, over fears about the "cumulative effect" that the shots could be having on children. That includes weighing changes to recommendations for hepatitis B and measles vaccines given early in life. The American Academy of Pediatrics denounced the move as sowing distrust in safe and effective immunizations, and warned Wednesday against curbing hepatitis B recommendations. "Secretary Kennedy has given this committee a clear mandate to use evidence-based medicine when making vaccine recommendations, and that is what we will do. Vaccines are not all good or bad," Dr. Martin Kulldorff, the panel's chair, said Wednesday. RSV shot An RSV vaccine during pregnancy and another antibody shot called clesrovimab that can be given to newborns have previously been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and recommended by the CDC to prevent the disease. The committee Thursday voted by a majority — five in favor, two against — to recommend a shot for newborns, branded as Enflonsia by Merck, adding another option to the already approved immunizations. Two of the panel's new members — Retsef Levi, an operations management professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Vicki Pebsworth, the research director of a group focused on preventing vaccine injuries and deaths — voted against recommendations for the shot. Pebsworth said she worried about coadministration of the shot with other childhood vaccines, despite data presented by the CDC's Vaccine Safety Datalink showing that RSV antibody shots being given alongside other vaccines are not resulting in a safety risk. Levi said that he was uncomfortable with clinical trial data he claimed suggested that deaths could be more frequent after use of the shots. He cited his experience as a parent, saying that "as a father, I can feel that I would be concerned." "I don't feel this is ready to be administered to all healthy babies. I think we should take a more precautionary approach to this," Levi said. That was at odds with reviews by the CDC and FDA, which did not turn up evidence of this risk. An FDA official told the panel that the death rates — 0.3% versus 0.2% — were not significant, and that careful reviews of the deaths concluded that their causes were not related to the drug. Another panel member, Dr. Cody Meissner of Dartmouth University, disagreed with Levi, warning that 80% of children hospitalized with RSV are healthy with no underlying conditions. Meissner had previously participated in the deliberations of the committee's work group as an outside adviser, before Kennedy purged its voting members. "The work group has spent an enormous amount of time, the FDA has spent an enormous effort looking at safety and efficacy, and it is simply not an issue here," he said. Flu vaccines The panel is also expected to vote on updated recommendations for influenza vaccines for the coming season, usually a routine annual affair for the committee before Kennedy's purge. This year is different also because Kennedy's committee is now scheduled to vote on vaccines that use thimerosal, a preservative used in a small handful of shots that has been the subject of debunked claims about risks for autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Thursday's vote on thimerosal is scheduled to follow a presentation from Lyn Redwood, the former head of a group founded by Kennedy that has lobbied against vaccine authorizations and requirements. The group has been hired to work in the agency's vaccine safety office. Young Cuban girl asks Trump to lift travel ban stopping her from joining mom in U.S. Supreme Court allows South Carolina to block Medicaid funds from Planned Parenthood Hegseth gets defensive over initial assessments about Trump's Iran nuclear sites strikes
CBS News
2 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
RFK Jr.'s vaccine committee votes on new RSV immunization, flu shots
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's influential panel of vaccine advisers Thursday approved updated recommendations for a new shot for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. It is also set to vote on recommendations for this year's influenza vaccine. Their votes mark the panel's first official move after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired the committee's experts and replaced them with his own picks earlier this month. Votes by the panel are closely watched by health authorities because they are tied to federal policies and programs that enable access to vaccines, including requirements for insurance coverage and funding to provide shots for uninsured children. Other vaccines are also being discussed by the panel, but not voted on, including those for COVID-19, chikungunya and anthrax. Kennedy's new committee also announced Wednesday that it would start a renewed review of all recommended pediatric vaccines, over fears about the "cumulative effect" that the shots could be having on children. That includes weighing changes to recommendations for hepatitis B and measles vaccines given early in life. The American Academy of Pediatrics denounced the move as sowing distrust in safe and effective immunizations, and warned Wednesday against curbing hepatitis B recommendations. "Secretary Kennedy has given this committee a clear mandate to use evidence-based medicine when making vaccine recommendations, and that is what we will do. Vaccines are not all good or bad," Dr. Martin Kulldorff, the panel's chair, said Wednesday. RSV shot An RSV vaccine during pregnancy and another antibody shot called clesrovimab that can be given to newborns have previously been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and recommended by the CDC to prevent the disease. The committee Thursday voted by a majority — five in favor, two against — to recommend a shot for newborns, branded as Enflonsia by Merck, adding another option to the already approved immunizations. Two of the panel's new members — Retsef Levi, an operations management professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Vicki Pebsworth, the research director of a group focused on preventing vaccine injuries and deaths — voted against recommendations for the shot. Pebsworth said she worried about coadministration of the shot with other childhood vaccines, despite data presented by the CDC's Vaccine Safety Datalink showing that RSV antibody shots being given alongside other vaccines are not resulting in a safety risk. Levi said that he was uncomfortable with clinical trial data he claimed suggested that deaths could be more frequent after use of the shots. He cited his experience as a parent, saying that "as a father, I can feel that I would be concerned." "I don't feel this is ready to be administered to all healthy babies. I think we should take a more precautionary approach to this," Levi said. That was at odds with reviews by the CDC and FDA, which did not turn up evidence of this risk. An FDA official told the panel that the death rates — 0.3% versus 0.2% — were not significant, and that careful reviews of the deaths concluded that their causes were not related to the drug. Another panel member, Dr. Cody Meissner of Dartmouth University, disagreed with Levi, warning that 80% of children hospitalized with RSV are healthy with no underlying conditions. Meissner had previously participated in the deliberations of the committee's work group as an outside adviser, before Kennedy purged its voting members. "The work group has spent an enormous amount of time, the FDA has spent an enormous effort looking at safety and efficacy, and it is simply not an issue here," he said. Flu vaccines The panel is also expected to vote on updated recommendations for influenza vaccines for the coming season, usually a routine annual affair for the committee before Kennedy's purge. This year is different also because Kennedy's committee is now scheduled to vote on vaccines that use thimerosal, a preservative used in a small handful of shots that has been the subject of debunked claims about risks for autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Thursday's vote on thimerosal is scheduled to follow a presentation from Lyn Redwood, the former head of a group founded by Kennedy that has lobbied against vaccine authorizations and requirements. The group has been hired to work in the agency's vaccine safety office.
