In testimony supporting a new anti-vaccine bill in Texas, Del Bigtree said mercury at least five times.
Is that because mercury is a common ingredient in vaccines?
Or is that just part of his plan to scare parents away from vaccinating and protecting their kids?
Which Vaccines Contain Mercury?
Well, let’s take a look at the excipient list as proposed by this new vaccine bill in Texas…
Wait, what?
No vaccine contains mercury?
“Vaccine manufacturers have projected that they will supply as many as 194 to 198 million doses of influenza vaccine for the 2020-2021 season. These projections may change as the season progresses. Most of this will be quadrivalent vaccine (99%) and thimerosal-free or reduced vaccine (87%).”
Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Supply for the U.S. 2020-2021 Influenza Season
A small amount of flu vaccine in multi-dose vials, about 13% of our supply, still contains thimerosal, but that’s not really the same thing as saying they contain mercury, is it?
“Thimerosal is a compound that contains mercury. Mercury is a metal found naturally in the environment.”
Understanding Thimerosal, Mercury, and Vaccine Safety
No, it’s not, especially when you understand that the heavy metal mercury metal breaks down to methylmercury.
“Ethylmercury is an organomercurial that should be distinguished from methylmercury, a related substance that has been the focus of considerable study. Methylmercury is the type of mercury found in certain kinds of fish. At high exposure levels methylmercury can be toxic to people.”
FDA on Thimerosal and Vaccines
Thimerosal, on the other hand, breaks down to ethylmercury.
“Thimerosal contains ethylmercury, which is cleared from the human body more quickly than methylmercury, and is therefore less likely to cause any harm.”
CDC on Thimerosal and Vaccines
What’s the difference?
“Methyl mercury is what accumulates in water and fish and can cause health problems. Ethyl mercury is a very different compound that doesn’t appear to be toxic. If you want to understand the difference one carbon atom can make, consider the difference between methanol and ethanol. Drinking ethanol (alcohol) will make you tipsy at a dinner party. Drinking methanol can make you go blind.”
Should We Worry About Metals in Vaccines?
And even though it was removed from almost all vaccines used in the United States long ago, thimerosal in vaccines has been found to be safe.
“Thimerosal use in medical products has a record of being very safe. Data from many studies show no evidence of harm caused by the low doses of thimerosal in vaccines.”
CDC on Thimerosal and Vaccines
So why do folks like Del Bigtree continue to talk about “mercury in vaccines?”
Because it sounds scary!
“Certainly holding back information is just playing into the hands of the anti-vaxxers, saying they are hiding it from you. They are hiding ingredients. What else are they hiding?”
Del Bigtree testifying for Texas SB 1310
Of course, no one is hiding the vaccine ingredient list from anyone. People who would like to read and review it already have the choice to do that now. The Vaccine Excipient Summary is available online and is updated regularly.
And there are no hidden ingredients in vaccines.
The only people holding back information are the folks trying to scare people away from getting vaccinated and protected, overstating the risks of vaccines, never mentioning the benefits, and never mentioning the risks of skipping or delaying your child’s vaccines.
Mercury in Vaccines Fact Check
Vaccines do not contain mercury.
A very small percentage of our flu shots do contain thimerosal, a safe preservative that breaks down to ethylmercury.
It is a propaganda technique to say vaccines contain mercury. It is scarier than saying they contain thimerosal, which has been removed all but a small percentage of flu shots in the United States.
More on Vaccines and Mercury
- Doing the Math on Kennedy, Vaccines and Mercury
- Why Does the FDA Warn About Mercury in Fish, but Not Mercury in Flu Shots?
- Vaccines and the HAZMAT Team Myth
- A Call to Poison Control About Vaccines
- Why Are the DPT and OPV Vaccines Still Used in Some Countries?
- Answers To Frequently Asked Questions About Immunizations
- Ask 8 Questions Before You Skip a Vaccine
- More Questions to Help You Become a Vaccine Skeptic
- CDC – Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Supply for the U.S. 2020-2021 Influenza Season
- CDC – Understanding Thimerosal, Mercury, and Vaccine Safety
- CDC – Thimerosal and Vaccines
- FDA – Thimerosal and Vaccines
- EPA – Thimerosal in Vaccines
- WHO – Mercury & Health
- WHO – Statement on thiomersal
- Excipients in Vaccines per 0.5 mL dose
- IAC – Talking about Vaccines: Thimerosal
- Should We Worry About Metals in Vaccines?
- Thimerosal and Vaccines — A Cautionary Tale
- Mercury Excretion in Infants
- How Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Distorted Vaccine Science
- The truth about vaccines, autism and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s conspiracy theory
- Mercury Levels in Newborns and Infants After Receipt of Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines
- Thimerosal: the mercury-based preservative at the center of flu vaccine misinformation
- Addressing parents’ concerns: do vaccines contain harmful preservatives, adjuvants, additives, or residuals?
- Mercury, Vaccines, and Autism – One Controversy, Three Histories