Aluminum in Childhood Vaccines Is Unsafe
Neil Z. Miller

ABSTRACTbabies in utero, infants, and young children were injected
with, and continue to receive, unnaturally high doses of
Aluminum is a neurotoxin, yet infants and young children
neurotoxic substances—mercury and aluminum—long after
Figure1: Aluminumfrom Childhood
Vaccines
are repeatedly injected with aluminum
adjuvantsfrom Doses
unsuspecting
parents were
led to believe that vaccines were
multiple vaccines during critical periods of brain development.
purified and made safe.
Numerous studies provide credible evidence that aluminum
adversely affects important biological functions and may
Micrograms of Aluminum Babies
contribute to neurodegenerative and autoimmune disorders.
It is impossible to predetermine which vaccinated babies
Received by 18 Months of Age(before and a>er some vaccines with mercury
will succumb to aluminum poisoning. Aluminum-free healthwere phased out of the vaccine schedule)
options are needed.
Introduction

5000

Mercuryphase-out
begins4925 4925

4800
From 1999 through 2002, several vaccines containing
4600
mercury were phased out of the childhood immunization
4425
schedule. Manufacturing of childhood vaccines with thimerosal
4400
ceased in 2001, but those that were not past their expiration
date remained on the market for sale until January 2003.1 They
4200
were replaced with low-mercury or “thimerosal-free” vaccines.
4000 3925 3925 3925 3925
In the years that followed, autism rates continued to rise,prompting health authorities to assert that autism is not linked
3800
to mercury in vaccines and that vaccination policies are safe and2-4
appropriate. (If mercury in vaccines contributed to autism,
3600
then rates should have dropped after mercury was removed.)
However, in 2002, during this so-called phase-out period, the3400
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) actually
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2005 2016
added two doses of mercury-containing influenza vaccines to
Figure 1. Aluminum Content from Childhood Vaccines
the list of inoculations urged for all babies 6 to 23 months ofage.5 Two years later, the CDC also added pregnant women incontaining
aluminum wereto theVaccinesVaccines
containing
aluminum
wereadded
added
to childhood
the childhood
their first trimester to the list of people officially recommended
immunization schedule when some vaccines containing mercury
immunization
schedule when some vaccines containing mercury
and actively encouraged to receive influenza vaccines, even
were removed. Prior to the mercury phase-out (pre-2000), babies
though a majority of available doses contained mercury.6 were removed.
Priormcg
to themercurybyphase-out(pre-2000),
received 3,925
of aluminum
18 months ofage. After babies
In addition to these questionable actions during this highly
A vaccines
to the schedule,
received pneumococcal
3,925 mcgand
ofhepatitis
aluminumbywere18addedmonthsof age. After
publicized “phase-out” of mercury, four doses of a new vaccine
babies began receiving 4,925 mcg of aluminum during the same
pneumococcal
and hepatitis A vaccines were added to the schedule
age period—a 25% increase.
with high aluminum content were added to the childhood
babies began
mcg ofproductaluminumsame age
Source: receiving
The vaccine 4,925
manufacturers’
insertsduring
and thethe
CDC’s
immunization schedule in February 2000 (for pneumococcus)
annualand two doses of another aluminum-containing vaccineperiod—a(for
25% childhood
increase.vaccination schedules.
hepatitis A) were added in 2005.7,8 These changes to the vaccine
Source: The vaccine manufacturers' product inserts and the CDC’sschedule resulted in a substantial increase of aluminumAluminum vaccination schedules.
annual childhood
containing vaccine doses—from 10 to 16 injections—that
babies are still mandated to receive by 18 months of age.
Aluminum adjuvants are added to several vaccines toPrior to the mercury phase-out (pre-2000), babies received
elicit a more robust immune response and increase vaccine
3,925 micrograms (mcg) of aluminum in their first year-and-aefficacy. In the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia,
half of life. After pneumococcal and hepatitis A vaccines wereand many other parts of the world, infants and young
added to the immunization schedule, babies began receiving
children receive high quantities of aluminum from multiple
4,925 mcg of aluminum during the same age period—a
inoculations. For example, in the U.S. the hepatitis B, DTaP
9,10
25% increase (Figure 1).
In 2011, CDC recommended that(for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis), pneumococcal (PCV),
pregnant women receive a pertussis vaccine (Tdap), which also
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and hepatitis A vaccines
contains aluminum.11 Studies show that aluminum crosses theare all administered during early childhood. Each of theseplacenta and accumulates in fetal tissue.12 Thus, millions ofJournal of American Physicians and Surgeons Volume 21 Number 4 Winter 2016109

vaccines contains aluminum, and multiple doses (booster
shots) are required (Table 1). Babies are injected with 1,225
mcg of aluminum instantaneously at age 2 months, and4,925 mcg of accumulated aluminum by age 18 months(Figure 2).9,10

pre-teens as well, and contains 390 mcg of aluminum.13
Several adult vaccines also contain aluminum.
Aluminum is neurotoxic and has a long history of welldocumented hazards.14 For example, as early as 1921 The
Lancet described a 46-year-old metal worker in whom“aluminium produced a rather slow intoxication. In thiscase it caused memory loss, tremor, jerky movements
Table1.1.Aluminum
AluminumExposures
Exposuresin inEarly
EarlyChildhoodChildhoodfrom
from Recommended
Table
and incontinenceVaccinesof urine.”15 In 1927, Dr. Victor Vaughn, aRecommended Vaccines
toxicologist with the University of Michigan, testified before
the Federal Trade Commission that “all salts of aluminum are
Vaccine
Aluminum Content
Vaccine Schedule
poisonous when injected subcutaneously or intravenously.”16
250 mcg x 3 doses
Birth, 2, 6 months
Hep B
By 1951, Chusid et al. showed that chronic epilepsy could be
induced in monkeys through intra-cerebral administration of
625
mcg
x
4
doses
2,
4,
6,
15
monthsDTaPaluminum hydroxide cream.17 In 1968, Driver et al. performed
125 mcg x 4 doses
2, 4, 6, 12 months
PCV
a similar experiment by placing aluminum hydroxide cream
225 mcg x 3 doses
2, 4, 12 months
Hib
unilaterally on the posterior parietal cortex of six monkeys.18
250 mcg x 2 doses
12, 18 months
Hep A
From 3 to 8 weeks after surgery, electrical abnormalities
could be seen on an electroencephalogram and the monkeys
Source: The vaccine manufacturers’ product inserts and the CDC’s 2016
childhoodThevaccination
schedule.
exhibited “episodic twitching of the limbs and face.” The
Source:vaccinemanufacturers’
product
inserts
ulative Aluminum Exposure from Recommended Childhood Vaccines
and the CDC’s 2016 childhood vaccination animals were also impaired at learning new tasks and at relearning tasks first learned prior to the intervention.
schedule.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP),“Aluminum
is now being implicated as interfering with a
Age-Speciﬁc and CumulaIve Aluminum
varietyofcellularand metabolic processes in the nervous
Exposure by 18 Months of Age
system and in other tissues.”19 Bishop et al. published data
showing that “aluminum accumulates in the body when
protective gastrointestinal mechanisms are bypassed, renal
At Birth250
function is impaired, and exposure is high.”20 For example,
2 Months1225
in premature infants, “prolonged intravenous feeding withsolutions containing aluminum is associated with impaired
4 Months
975
neurologic development” by 18 months of age. Morerecently, Kawahara et al. published research confirming that
6 Months
1000“aluminum can cause severe health problems in particular
12 Months
600
4,925 mcg
populations, including infants.”21 The authors of this paper
aluminum byalso declared that “whilst being environmentally abundant,
15 Months625
18 months
aluminum is not essential for life. On the contrary, aluminum
18 Months
250
is a widely recognized neurotoxin that inhibits more than
200 biologically important functions and causes various
0
500
1000
1500
adverse effects in plants, animals, and humans.”

mcg aluminum

Neurologic and Autoimmune Disorders

Figure 2. Cumulative Aluminum Exposure from Recommended
Childhood Vaccines

Numerous studies provide compelling evidence that
injected aluminum is detrimental to health. For example,
Babies are injected with 1,225 mcg of aluminum instantaneously at 2
a recent paper by Tomljenovic and Shaw affirmed that
The vaccine manufacturers’ product inserts and the CDC’s 2016
months Source:
ofchildhoodage
and4,925 mcg of accumulated aluminum by 18
vaccination schedule.
aluminum is a neurotoxin and may be a co-factor in several
months of age.
neurodegenerative disorders and diseases, including
Source: The vaccine manufacturers’ product inserts and Alzheimer’s,theParkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral
CDC’s 2016
childhoodvaccination
schedule.
Babies are not the only age group exposed to highsclerosis (ALS), autism, and epilepsy.22 According to the authors,quantities of aluminum from vaccines. The HPV vaccine“The continued use of aluminum adjuvants in various vaccines(indicated for the prevention of cervical cancer and genitalfor children as well as the general public may be of significant
warts associated with some strains of human papillomavirus)
concern. In particular, aluminum presented in this form carries
is marketed to pre-teens and adolescents. Each dose in thea risk for autoimmunity, long-term brain inflammation andthree-dose series contains 500 mcg of aluminum. The Tdap
associated neurological complications and may thus havevaccine (for tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) is given to
profound and widespread adverse health consequences.”
110

Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons Volume 21 Number 4 Winter 2016

Recent data by Perricone et al. showed that aluminum
adjuvants in vaccines have been linked to multiple sclerosis,
systemic lupus erythematosus, chronic fatigue syndrome,
Gulf War syndrome, macrophagic myofasciitis, arthritis, andautoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants(ASIA syndrome), an autoimmune disease with neurologicaland cognitive manifestations.23 Clinical symptoms associatedwith vaccine-induced autoimmunity can take months or
years to manifest, much longer than the time intervals
utilized in most vaccine safety studies.
Although aluminum is a neurotoxin, pre-school
children are repeatedly injected with aluminum adjuvants
from multiple vaccines during critical periods of brain
development. A recent paper published in the journal
Lupus found that this may lead to neuro-developmental
and autoimmune disorders.24 During early development, thechild’s blood-brain barrier is more permeable to toxins, andthe kidneys are less able to eliminate them. Thus, children
have a greater risk than adults of adverse reactions toaluminum adjuvants in vaccines. The authors of this paperissued the following warning: “Because children may bemost at risk of vaccine-induced complications, a rigorous
evaluation of the vaccine-related adverse health impacts inthe pediatric population is urgently needed.”Macrophagic Myofasciitis (MMF)
Some people develop macrophagic myofasciitis (MMF)
after receiving an aluminum-containing vaccine.25-39 MMF
is characterized by an aluminum-filled lesion (wound) at
the site of an earlier vaccination. MMF lesions occur when
the aluminum adjuvant from a vaccine remains embeddedin the muscle tissue and causes a continuous immune
reaction. The lesions are persistent, long-term granulomas(or inflammatory tumors) found in the quadriceps in children
and deltoid muscles of adults, common vaccination sites.
Several vaccines contain aluminum hydroxide, which has
been identified as the causal factor of MMF lesions.25
Although MMF is associated with a macrophagic lesion
at the site of vaccination, it is a systemic ailment. Symptoms
include chronic fatigue, chronic diffuse myalgia (muscle
weakness), arthralgia (joint pain), and disabling headaches.
Aluminum’s toxic effects can also manifest as impaired
psychomotor control, repetitive behavior, speech disorders,sleep disturbances, seizures, confusion, and anxiety, as
well as deficits of concentration, learning, and memory.
Nearly 20% of patients with MMF develop an autoimmune
disease, including neuromuscular and multiple sclerosis-likedemyelinating disorders.26-28
Several descriptive studies document MMF in pediatricpopulations. For example, Spanish scientists presented dataon seven children younger than 3 years of age with lesions ofmacrophages on muscle biopsies at the site of vaccination.29
In three of four cases tested, elevated levels of aluminum inmuscle were detected (indicative of a reaction to aluminum
Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons Volume 21 Number 4 Winter 2016

adjuvants in vaccines). All of the children developed
hypotonia (a lack of normal muscle tone) and motor or
psychomotor delay. Six of the children also had abnormal
neuro-imaging, associated with neurological anomalies,
including atrophy and abnormal myelination.
In the U.S., Gruis et al. evaluated four cases of MMF inyoung children with hypotonia, motor delay and failure to
thrive, likely due to intramuscular injections of aluminumcontaining vaccines.30 Another team of American physiciansevaluated MMF in two fully vaccinated children. Bothshowed typical aluminum-filled macrophages at muscle
biopsies.31 One child had abnormal pupillary reflexes andurinary retention suggesting dysautonomia while the otherchild had developmental delay and hypotonia.
Israeli researchers documented MMF in six Arabchildren.32 Reactions included hypotonia, seizures, motor
delay, and developmental delay. The authors of this paper
believe that genetic predisposition is a factor in determining
the prevalence of MMF in different populations.
German researchers documented MMF in a 3-monthold East Indian child following his hepatitis B vaccine atbirth, “after which he developed generalized hypotonia,
and central nervous system and peripheral nervous systemmanifestations at one month of age.”33 The child also had
respiratory failure, decreased spontaneous movements,
apnea spells, and generalized seizures. Aluminum was
detected in the muscle biopsy macrophages. The authors
recommend that “after vaccination, children should beclosely followed to detect these complications at earlystages.”
Italian researchers believe that MMF in children “isprobably more common than reported. Diagnosis requires
a high index of suspicion and can be missed if biopsy
is performed outside the vaccination site.”34 According
to Canadian MMF researchers, “aluminum has been
demonstrated to impact the central nervous system at
every level, including by changing gene expression. These
outcomes should raise concerns about the increasing use ofaluminum salts as vaccine adjuvants.” Moreover, “based on
the current and emerging literature, it seems unlikely that in
the future aluminum will be considered safe for human use
in any of the current medicinal applications.”28
Animal Studies
A recent paper by Luján et al. found that sheep developed
a new type of autoimmune and inflammatory disorder—
ovine autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by
adjuvants (ASIA)—after receiving vaccines containing
aluminum adjuvants.40 The condition appears in somesheep two to six days after they are vaccinated. Symptomsof the acute phase include poor response to external stimuli
and acute meningoencephalitis. The chronic phase causes
muscular atrophy, neurodegeneration of the gray matter ofthe spinal cord, and death.
111

Khan et al. conducted several mouse experiments todetermine the long-term biological distribution of vaccinerelated aluminum nanoparticles.41 They discovered thataluminum travels from the injection site to distant organs
such as the spleen and brain, where aluminum deposits
could still be detected one year later. Aluminum remains
in monocyte-lineage cells long after vaccination and may
cause neurologic and autoimmune disorders. According tothese scientists, “Alum has high neurotoxic potential, andadministration of continuously escalating doses of thispoorly biodegradable adjuvant in the population should
be carefully evaluated by regulatory agencies since thecompound may be insidiously unsafe.”
Scientists also looked at whether Gulf War Syndrome,
which afflicted many veterans of Western militaries withcognitive and behavioral deficits similar to ALS (a progressive
neurodegenerative disease that destroys nerve cells), could
be related to the aluminum-containing anthrax vaccines
they received. In a series of studies, mice were injected withadjuvants at doses equivalent to those given to vaccinated U.S.
Gulf War veterans.42,43 The aluminum-injected mice exhibited
significant deficits in memory and motor functions. Testing
showed motor neuron loss and progressive deficiencies instrength. The mice also had pathological abnormalities thatare characteristic of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’sand dementia. According to the authors of these studies,“The demonstrated neurotoxicity of aluminum hydroxide
and its relative ubiquity as an adjuvant suggest that greater
scrutiny by the scientific community is warranted.”43
Israeli scientists recently evaluated an aluminum adjuvant
and the HPV vaccine Gardasil to determine behavioral andinflammatory effects.44 Female mice were injected witheither aluminum or Gardasil in amounts equivalent tohuman exposure, or they received a true placebo. (Vaccine
safety trials for the HPV vaccine did not provide thecontrol group with an inert substance or true placebo; the“control” group was injected with aluminum.) The Gardasil
and aluminum-injected mice spent significantly more time
exhibiting depressive behavior when compared to theplacebo-injected mice. In addition, anti-HPV antibodies fromthe sera of Gardasil-injected mice showed cross-reactivity
with the mouse brain protein extract. Analysis revealed
microglial activation in the hippocampi of Gardasil-injected
mice. According to the authors, “It appears that Gardasil via
its aluminum adjuvant and HPV antigens has the ability totrigger neuroinflammation and autoimmune reactions,further leading to behavioral changes.”
AutismThere is evidence that aluminum in vaccines may belinked to autism. For example, the Journal of Inorganic
Biochemistry published data showing a highly significant
positive linear correlation between the amount of aluminum
infants receive from their vaccines and the rates of autism
112

in several developed nations (Pearson r = 0.89-0.94).45
The authors of this ecological study commented on theirfindings: “Our results...suggest that a causal relationship may
exist between the amount of aluminum administered topreschool children at various ages through vaccination andthe rising prevalence of autism spectrum disorders.”
In another recently published paper, Shaw et al. foundthat genetic predispositions may sensitize some children
to central nervous system damage induced by aluminumcontaining pediatric vaccines.46 Moreover, vaccines withaluminum adjuvants are injected into the body, bypassing
protective barriers of the gastrointestinal tract and skin.
Absorption of aluminum by this mode is more efficientthan through ingestion, increasing the likelihood of a toxic
outcome. The authors summarized their findings: “Evidence
has now emerged showing that autism may in part result
from early-life immune insults induced by environmental
xenobiotics. One of the most common xenobiotic withimmuno-stimulating as well as neurotoxic properties towhich infants under two years of age are routinely exposedworldwide is the aluminum vaccine adjuvant.”
Recent research published in the Journal of Toxicology
found that aluminum exposure produces adverse effects inliving organisms and is especially damaging to the central
nervous system.47 Aluminum from vaccine adjuvants crosses
the blood-brain and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barriers,
provoking harmful immuno-inflammatory responses inneural tissues. Yet, clinical studies on vaccine safety often
give aluminum-containing injections to a “control” group asa harmless “placebo” despite evidence that aluminum is toxic
to humans and animals. The use of aluminum as a placebo
cannot be justified. According to the authors of this paper,“Studies on animal models and humans have shown thataluminum adjuvants by themselves cause autoimmune andinflammatory conditions. These findings plausibly implicate
aluminum adjuvants in pediatric vaccines as causal factors
contributing to increased rates of autism spectrum disorders
in countries where multiple doses are almost universallyadministered.”In another recent animal study, young mice were injectedwith either high or low levels of aluminum adjuvants(designed to correlate with U.S. or Scandinavian childhood
vaccine schedules).48 Significant changes in the mice wereobserved, affirming the role of aluminum adjuvants inadversely altering the central nervous system. The authors
commented on their findings: “These current data implicate
aluminum injected in early postnatal life in some central
nervous system alterations that may be relevant for a better
understanding of the etiology of autism spectrum disorders.”
Vaccine Industry Conferences and Concerns
In May 2000—3 months after the CDC added thealuminum-containing pneumococcal vaccine to therecommended immunization schedule for children—the U.S.
Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons Volume 21 Number 4 Winter 2016

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sponsoreda Workshop on Aluminum in Vaccines.49,50 The workshop,
given in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was attended by membersof the vaccine industry, including government officials,
immunologists, pathologists, vaccine manufacturers, metal
ion specialists, and other interested people. It was organized
to increase knowledge about aluminum as an adjuvant invaccines, investigate potential adverse reactions associatedwith aluminum in vaccines, and develop a research agenda
on the effect of aluminum in the human body. Experts fromaround the world were invited to give their presentations on
vaccines and aluminum.
Dr. Romain Gherardi, a specialist in neuromusculardisease and professor at the Mondor Institute of Biomedical
Research, showed that MMF without vaccination does notoccur. In fact, it often begins after receiving a hepatitis B
vaccine. Myalgia was present in 94% of patients with MMF,
and 85% of these people were disabled. Although 30% of
patients had their first myalgias within 3 months after theirlast vaccination, 20% of patients’ symptoms took longer than
2 years to manifest. These myalgias begin in the calves andlegs, then progress to diffuse myalgia. Fatigue was present
in 93% of patients with MMF, and 87% of these people weredisabled. In addition, 34% of MMF patients had autoimmune
disease, including multiple sclerosis and arthritis.50, pp 48-74
In June 2000, the CDC sponsored a conference on
thimerosal (mercury) in vaccines, although aluminum wasdiscussed as well.51 CDC scientists analyzed the agency’s
Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) database containing
thousands of medical records of vaccinated children andfound statistically significant relationships between mercury
in vaccines and developmental delay, tics, and attention
deficit disorder.51, pp 40-41 However, Dr. Tom Verstraeten,
CDC epidemiologist, analyzed the data and determinedthat the injuries could have been caused by aluminum inthe vaccines.51, p 77 It is also possible that the neurologicaldamage was due to the synergistic effects of both aluminumand mercury in the vaccines given to the affected children.
Although millions of children every year are required
to receive vaccines containing aluminum and mercury,evidence supporting the safety of this practice is lacking. For
example, according to Dr. Richard Johnston, immunologist
and professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado
School of Medicine, “Aluminum and mercury are often
simultaneously administered to infants, both at the samesite and at different sites. However...there is absolutely nodata, including animal data, about the potential for synergy,
additivity or antagonism, all of which can occur in binary
metal mixtures.”51, p 20 Dr. Alison Maule, who attended theWorkshop on Aluminum in Vaccines, voiced similar concerns:“We need to bear in mind that we are not only putting
aluminum in here, we are putting in mercury.... Often theseeffects are additive but there is always the possibility ofsynergy. We know nothing about that.”50, p 106 Dr. Vito Caserta,
chief medical officer for the Vaccine Injury Compensation
Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons Volume 21 Number 4 Winter 2016

Program, had this to say: “One of the things I learned at thealuminum conference in Puerto Rico…that I never really
understood before, is the interactive effect of different metals
when they are together in the same organism. It is not thesame as when they are alone, and I think it would be foolishfor us not to include aluminum as part of our thinking withthis.”51, p 234 Dr. William Weil, pediatrician, former member of
the National Institutes of Health, and representative for the
AAP Committee on Environmental Health, was also present
at the CDC conference and made his concerns known: “Inrelationship to aluminum, being a nephrologist for a longtime, the potential for aluminum and central nervous system
toxicity was well established by dialysis data. To think there
isn’t some possible problem here is unreal.”51, pp 24-25
Some health authorities who oversee federal vaccine
initiatives candidly acknowledge their limited understandingof metals—aluminum and mercury—that are added toseveral vaccines. For example, Dr. Martin Myers, director of
the National Vaccine Program Office and host of the HHSsponsored Workshop on Aluminum in Vaccines, made a frankadmission: “Perhaps the most important thing that I took
away from the last meeting was that those of us who deal
with vaccines have really very little applicable backgroundwith metals and toxicological research.”49, pp 1-2 Dr. Neal Halsey,
director of the Institute for Vaccine Safety, Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health, and former member of
the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices(ACIP), was also present at the workshop on aluminum. He
had concerns regarding missing data: “We do not seem tohave information on the age-related toxicity of aluminum,
especially when we are dealing with very young infants….
We do not know whether or not there is a difference insusceptibility by age, as there [is] with other metals.”50, pp 83-84
Some health authorities seemed to admit that even if
aluminum is dangerous, it would be burdensome to remove
it. For example, according to Dr. John Clements with the World
Health Organization’s Expanded Programme on Immunization,“There are not easy and obvious substitutes to aluminum
adjuvants…. The existing vaccines, if they change the adjuvant
for any reason, would need to be resubmitted for clinical trials
for safety and efficacy and it would take a great deal of time
to do that.”50, p 75 Furthermore, “Aluminum is not perceived, I
believe, by the public as a dangerous metal. Therefore, we arein a much more comfortable wicket in terms of defending its
presence in vaccines.”49, p 64
Note: In 2005, 5 years after conference attendees
spoke out about a lack of data on the effects of mixing
different metals in childhood vaccines, Dr. Boyd Haley,
former professor of medicinal chemistry and chairman of
the chemistry department at the University of Kentucky,
published a study in which he investigated the effect of
combining aluminum hydroxide with thimerosal.52 In thisstudy, cultured neurons showed no significant cell death six
hours after they were exposed to just aluminum; more than
90% survived. Thimerosal alone also caused few neurons
113exhibit symptoms for several weeks, months, or years, so
it’s very difficult for vaccine recipients to recognize that thevaccines they received some time ago may be related totheir current disabling autoimmune ailments.
A few years later, the FDA published a study, Mitkus etal., in which the authors concluded that “the benefits ofusing vaccines containing aluminum adjuvant outweigh
any theoretical concerns.”54 This study is often cited as a
SynergisIc Toxicity ofconfirmation that injecting babies with multiple doses of
Aluminum and Thimerosal(Percentage of Neurons that Survived Exposure to
aluminum-containing vaccines is safe. However, there are
Aluminum alone, Thimerosal alone, or
major flaws in the FDA’s analysis:
Aluminum and Thimerosal Combined)
1. To determine an aluminum intake “minimal risk level”(MRL)
for humans, a single animal study was used.55 This study
100
90%
90%
found that mice could receive up to 26 milligrams of aluminum90
per kilogram of body weight per day (26 mg/kg/day) with no80
adverse effects. After considering differences between mice70
and humans (and other factors), this number was reduced60
to create a margin of safety, and an MRL of 1 mg/kg/day wasestablished for humans, including infants.56 But there is a
50
40%
problem: 26 mg/kg/day is not a safe amount of aluminum40
for animals. Several studies confirm that animals are harmed
30
by much lower quantities of aluminum—3.4 to 6.1 mg/kg/
20
day—and at least three of these studies were published10
before the FDA paper in 2011, so the FDA study was fallacious0
at its inception.57-60 Rats that were given just 6.1 mg/kg/day
Aluminum
Thimerosal Alum & Thim
aluminum (30 mg/kg/day AlCl3) needed significantly more
repetitions to learn a maze when compared to a control
Figure 3. Survival of Neurons Exposed to Aluminum, Thimerosal,group.57 Rats that were given just 5.6 mg/kg/day aluminumor Both(50 mg/kg/day AlCl3-6H2O) had significantly impaired spatial
Cultured neurons showed no significant cell death 6 hours after
learning and memory abilities when compared to a control
they were exposed to just aluminum; more than 90% survived.
group. They also had cellular shrinking, plus behavioral,
Thimerosal
alone also
causedoffew
neurons
to die after 6 hours of
Unconvincing
Evidence
Adjuvant
Safetybiochemical, and histological alterations.58 Rats that were
exposure. Again, more than 90% survived. However, when
given just 3.4 mg/kg/day aluminum (17 mg/kg/day AlCl3)
cultured neurons
were
exposedtoaluminumandthimerosal,
only“showed behavioral, biochemical, and histological changes
Although several high-level representatives of the CDC,
about World
40% Healthsurvived
after 6(WHO),
hours,
clearlyAcademy
demonstrating
similar to those associated with Alzheimer’s disease.” 60
Organization
Americanof
2. The MRL for humans is derived from dietary aluminumsynergistic
toxicity.
[52] for Vaccine Safety, National Vaccine
Pediatrics,
Institutefed
to mice. But infants are injected with aluminum. Injected
Program Office, and Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
aluminum bypasses the gastrointestinal tract and has unique
who attended the conferences on aluminum and thimerosal
toxic properties compared to aluminum that is ingested.
had serious concerns about the potential hazards associated
To determine the safety of injected aluminum, scientists
with aluminum in vaccines, a conference report andmust conduct experiments with injected—not ingested—
workshop summary published in the journal Vaccine 2 years
aluminum.
later declared that “the message from this conference for the
3. After vaccines containing aluminum adjuvants areglobal public should stress the safety of both these adjuvants
injected into the body, aluminum nanoparticles can be
and these vaccines,” despite acknowledging that “we don’ttransported by monocyte-lineage cells to draining lymphknow” how aluminum adjuvants interact with the immune
53
nodes, blood and spleen—and may also penetrate the brain.41
system and how it is processed by infants and children. The
Aluminum is unsafe even in trace quantities. For example,
conference report minimized risks by claiming that aluminum
just 50 nanomolars of aluminum are sufficient to generate
has been used as a vaccine adjuvant for more than 70 years
reactive oxygen species (ROS), or oxidative stress, in humanand “has an established safety record with low incidence
primary neuronal-glial cell cultures and induce inflammatoryof reported adverse events.” However, no one is warning
gene expression.61 In another study, just 10 nanomolars ofvaccine recipients to consider the possibility that their
aluminum increased C-reactive protein (CRP) levels fouradverse event could be related to aluminum in their vaccines
fold, causing inflammation in human brain microvessel
nor encouraging them to report it to health authorities.
endothelial cells.62 But the FDA assumes, without evidence,
Furthermore, research indicates that many people who havethat these poorly biodegradable aluminum nanoparticles,
adverse reactions to aluminum-containing vaccines won’t
Neuron Survival (% at 6 Hours)

to die after six hours of exposure. Again, more than 90%
survived. However, when cultured neurons were exposed toaluminum and thimerosal, only about 40% survived after six
hours, clearly
demonstratingsynergistic
toxicity (Figure
ival of Neurons
Exposedto Aluminum,
Thimerosal,
or Both3).

114

Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons Volume 21 Number 4 Winter 2016

which have been detected in body organs up to a year after
vaccination, are harmless, and they are not calculated by
the FDA as part of the aluminum “body burden” until theydissolve.
4. The “retention function for aluminum,” a mathematicalequation that the FDA used to help estimate levels ofaluminum in infants, was derived from data on only one
person, an adult (rather than from numerous infants), and an
estimate on the rate of absorption of aluminum hydroxide
following injection was based on data from just two rabbits.
The FDA paper also falsely claimed that “occasional
irritation (dermal) at the site of injection is the only adverse
effect that has been reported in the published literature”
following injections of aluminum-containing vaccines. And
the clinical symptoms in patients diagnosed with MMF “areconsidered to be due to separate, coincidental immune orneurological disorders that are unrelated to the presenceof aluminum in vaccines.”54 The Global Advisory Committee
on Vaccine Safety, established by WHO, welcomed the FDA’s
analysis endorsing the safety of aluminum in vaccines.63 The
CDC vigorously defends the presence of aluminum in vaccines
as well.64 Clearly, FDA, CDC, and WHO agree on continuing
indefinitely with their current policies of injecting babies
with multiple doses of aluminum-containing vaccines.
Aluminum Toxicity Acknowledged for Parenteral Nutrition
Although the FDA’s recent paper advocates the continued
use of aluminum in childhood vaccines, FDA has known formany years that aluminum can be dangerous. For example,
some infants require parenteral nourishment (administeredby intravenous injection). All parenteral nutritional formulas
contain aluminum. According to the FDA, “when medicationand nutrition are administered orally, the gastrointestinal
tract acts as an efficient barrier to the absorption ofaluminum, and relatively little ingested aluminum actuallyreaches body tissues. However, parenterally administereddrug products containing aluminum bypass the protective
mechanism of the gastrointestinal tract and aluminum
circulates and is deposited in human tissues.”65
In a 1997 study published in the New England Journalof Medicine, scientists assessed 182 infants who received
intravenous injections of nutritional formula that contained
differing quantities of aluminum.20 They calculated that
infants who received aluminum at greater than 4 to 5 mcg/
kg/day would lose 1 point per day on the Bayley Mental
Development Index (p = 0.03). Babies who score low on
this test are at risk for subsequent developmental andeducational problems. This study contributed to FDA’s
decision to set limits on aluminum content in parenteraldrug products and require warning labels on the package
inserts—safety measures that were never required withaluminum-containing vaccines. In the Code of Federal
Regulations, Title 21, published in the Federal Register,aluminum toxicity levels are revealed:
Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons Volume 21 Number 4 Winter 2016

WARNING: This product contains aluminum that
may be toxic.... Research indicates that patientswith impaired kidney function, including premature
neonates, who receive [injections] of aluminum atgreater than 4 to 5 mcg per kilogram of body weightper day, accumulate aluminum at levels associatedwith central nervous system and bone toxicity. Tissue
loading may occur at even lower rates.66
This means that for a 6-pound baby with impaired kidney
function, 11-14 mcg of injected aluminum would be toxic.
The hepatitis B vaccine given at birth contains 250 mcg ofaluminum—20 times higher than safety levels indicated forpreemies. Babies weigh about 12 pounds at two months ofage when they are injected with 1,225 mcg of aluminumfrom their CDC-recommended vaccines—50 times higher
than safety levels for preemies.
Healthy babies may be able to handle quantities ofaluminum above FDA toxicity levels indicated for patientswith impaired kidney function. However, no one knows how
much more aluminum is safe because adequate studies were
never conducted. In addition, babies are not screened forrenal function prior to vaccination. Therefore, it is impossible
to know ahead of time which babies will succumb toaluminum poisoning. Instead, parents are expected to play
Russian roulette with their children.
Summary
Aluminum adjuvants are added to several vaccines
to elicit a more robust immune response and increasevaccine efficacy. Infants and young children throughout theworld receive high quantities of aluminum from multiple
inoculations. Incremental changes to the vaccination
schedule during the past several years significantly
increased the quantity of aluminum in childhood shots.
Numerous studies provide compelling evidence that
injected aluminum can be detrimental to health. Aluminumis capable of remaining in cells long after vaccination andmay cause neurologic and autoimmune disorders. During
early development, the child’s brain is more susceptible totoxins and the kidneys are less able to eliminate them. Thus,
children have a greater risk than adults of adverse reactions
to aluminum in vaccines.
Millions of children every year are injected with vaccines
containing mercury and aluminum despite well-establishedexperimental evidence of the potential for additive orsynergistic toxicity when an organism is exposed to two
or more toxic metals. Dr. Haley’s study in which cultured
neurons died at an accelerated rate following concurrent
exposure to aluminum and thimerosal provides evidenceof an enhanced detrimental effect. In addition, aluminum
toxicity levels published by FDA indicate that two-month-oldbabies who are vaccinated according to CDC guidelines may
115be receiving quantities of aluminum that are significantly
higher than safety levels.
Conclusion
Toxic metals such as aluminum do not belong inprophylactic medications administered to children,
teenagers, or adults. Vaccines are normally recommended
for healthy people, so safety (and efficacy) standards must be
impeccable. Parents, especially, should not be compelled topermit their loved ones to receive multiple injections of toxic
metals that could increase their risk of neurodevelopmental
and autoimmune ailments. Safe alternatives to current
disease prevention technologies are urgently needed.
Neil Z. Miller is a medical research journalist. Contact: neilzmiller@gmail.com.
Disclosures: No conflicts of interest were disclosed.

REFERENCES
1. CDC. Timeline: thimerosal in vaccines, 1999-2010; Aug 28, 2015.
Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/thimerosal/
timeline.html. Accessed Aug 22, 2016.
2. Schechter R, Grether JK. Continuing increases in autism reported to
California’s developmental services system: mercury in retrograde. ArchGen Psychiatry 2008;65(1):19-24.
3. CNN. Autism rates up despite removal of mercury from vaccines; Dec 22,
2008. Available at: http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/dailydose/12/04/
autism.mercury/index.html?iref. Accessed Aug 22, 2016.
4. CDC. Thimerosal in vaccines; Oct 27, 2015. Available at: http://www.cdc.
gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/thimerosal. Accessed Aug 22, 2016.
5. Bridges CB, Fukuda D, Uyeki TM, et al. Prevention and control of influenza:
recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep 2002;51(RR03):1-31.
6. Harper SA, Fukuda K, Uyeki TM, Cox NJ, Bridges CB. Prevention andcontrol of influenza: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep 2004;53(RR06):1-40.
7. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Preventing
pneumococcal disease among infants and young children:
recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep 2000;49(RR09):1-38.
8. CDC. CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices expands
hepatitis A vaccination for children. Press Release, Oct 28, 2005. Available
at: http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/r051028.htm. Accessed Aug 22,
2016.
9. CDC. Recommended immunization schedule for persons aged 0 through18 years—United States; 2016.
10. Manufacturers’ product inserts for hepatitis B (Engerix-B), DTaP (Infanrix),
Hib (Pedvax), pneumoccocus (PCV13), and hepatitis A (Havrix). Accessed
Aug 22, 2016.
11. CDC. Updated recommendations for use of tetanus toxoid, reduced
diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) in pregnant
women—Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2012.
MMWR 2013;62(7):131-135.
12. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Toxicological Profile for
Aluminum. Atlanta, Ga.: Syracuse Research Corporation; 1999:94.
13. Manufacturers’ product inserts for Gardasil 9, Cervarix, and Boostrix.
Accessed Aug 22, 2016.
14. Miller NZ. Aluminum. Miller’s Review of Critical Vaccine Studies: 400
Important Scientific Papers Summarized for Parents and Researchers.
Santa Fe, NM: New Atlantean Press; 2016:44-63.
15. Spofforth J. Case of aluminium poisoning. Lancet 1921;197(5103):1301.
16. Ayoub D. Aluminum, vaccines and autism: déjà vu! National Autism
Association Annual Conference, Atlanta, Ga.; Nov 11, 2007.
116

17. Chusid JG, Pacella BL, Kopeloff LM, Kopeloff N. Chronic epilepsy in themonkey following multiple intracerebral injections of alumina cream.
Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1951;78(1):53-54.
18. Driver M, Ettlinger G, Moffett AM, St John-Loe P. Epileptogenic lesions in
the monkey. J Physiol 1968;May;196(2):93P-94P.
19. Committee on Nutrition. Aluminum toxicity in infants and children.
Pediatrics 1996;97(3):413-416.
20. Bishop NJ, Morley R, Day JP, Lucas A. Aluminum neurotoxicity inpreterm infants receiving intravenous-feeding solutions. N Engl J Med
1997;336:1557-1561.
21. Kawahara M, Kato-Negishi M. Link between aluminum and thepathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease: the integration of the aluminum
and amyloid cascade hypotheses. Int J Alzheimers Dis 2011;2011:276393.
22. Tomljenovic L, Shaw CA. Aluminum vaccine adjuvants: are they safe?
Curr Med Chem 2011;18(17):2630-2637.
23. Perricone C, Colafrancesco S, Mazor RD, et al. Autoimmune/inflammatory
syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) 2013: Unveiling the pathogenic,
clinical and diagnostic aspects. J Autoimmun 2013;47(Dec):1-16.
24. Tomljenovic L, Shaw CA. Mechanisms of aluminum adjuvant toxicity andautoimmunity in pediatric populations. Lupus 2012;21(2):223-230.
25. Rigolet M, Aouizerate J, Couette M, et al. Clinical features in patients withlong-lasting macrophagic myofasciitis. Front Neurol 2014;28;5(Nov):230.
26. Gherardi RK, Authier F. Macrophagic myofasciitis: characterization andpathophysiology. Lupus 2012;21(2):184-189.
27. Authier FJ, Cherin P, Creange A, et al. Central nervous system disease inpatients with macrophagic myofasciitis. Brain 2001;124(May, Pt 5):974983.
28. Shaw CA, Li D, Tomljenovic L. Are there negative CNS impactsof aluminum adjuvants used in vaccines and immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy 2014;6(10):1055-1071.
29. Rivas E, Gómez-Arnáiz M, Ricoy JR, et al. Macrophagic myofasciitis inchildhood: a controversial entity. Pediatr Neurol 2005;33(5):350-356.
30. Gruis KL, Teener JW, Blaivas M. Pediatric macrophagic myofasciitis
associated with motor delay. Clin Neuropathol 2006;25(4):172-179.
31. Lacson AG, D’Cruz CA, Gilbert-Barness E, et al. Aluminum phagocytosis
in quadriceps muscle following vaccination in children: relationship tomacrophagic myofasciitis. Pediatr Dev Pathol 2002;5(2):151-158.
32. Nevo Y, Kutai M, Jossiphov J, et al. Childhood macrophagic myofasciitis—
consanguinity and clinicopathological features. Neuromuscul Disord
2004;14(4):246-252.
33. Sharma MC, Prentice A, Schmidt PF, Sharma N, Goebel HH. Macrophagic
myofasciitis in a 3-month-old child. Journal of Pediatr Neurol
2004;2(4):225-229.
34. Di Muzio A, Capasso M, Verrotti A, et al. Macrophagic myofasciitis: aninfantile Italian case. Neuromuscul Disord 2004;14(2):175-177.
35. Israeli E, Agmon-Levin N, Blank M, Schoenfeld Y. Macrophagic myofaciitis
a vaccine (alum) autoimmune-related disease. Clin Rev Allergy Immu
2011;41(2):163-168.
36. Exley C, Swarbrick L, Gherardi RK, Authier FJ. A role for the body burdenof aluminium in vaccine-associated macrophagic myofasciitis andchronic fatigue syndrome. Med Hypotheses 2009;72(2):135-139.
37. Couette M, Boisse MF, Maison P, et al. Long-term persistence of vaccinederived aluminum hydroxide is associated with chronic cognitive
dysfunction. J Inorg Biochem 2009 ;103(11):1571-1578.
38. Gherardi RK, Coquet M, Cherin P, et al. Macrophagic myofasciitis lesions
assess long-term persistence of vaccine-derived aluminium hydroxide
in muscle. Brain 2001;124(Sep, Pt 9):1821-1831.
39. Gherardi RK. Lessons from macrophagic myofasciitis: towards
definition of a vaccine adjuvant-related syndrome. Rev Neurol (Paris)
2003;159(2):162-164.
40. Luján L, Pérez M, Salazar E, et al. Autoimmune/autoinflammatory
syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA syndrome) in commercial sheep.
Immunol Res 2013;56(2-3):317-324.
41. Khan Z, Combadière C, Authier FJ, et al. Slow CCL2-dependenttranslocation of biopersistent particles from muscle to brain. BMC Med
2013;11:99.
42. Petrik MS, Wong MC, Tabata RC, Garry RF, Shaw CA. Aluminum adjuvant
linked to Gulf War illness induces motor neuron death in mice.
Neuromolecular Med 2007;9(1):83-100.
43. Shaw CA, Petrik MS. Aluminum hydroxide injections lead to motor deficits
and motor neuron degeneration. J Inorg Biochem 2009;103(11):1555.
44. Inbar R, Weiss R, Tomljenovic L, et al. Behavioral abnormalities in female
mice following administration of aluminum adjuvants and the humanpapillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil. Immunol Res 2016; Jul 16 [Epubahead of print].
Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons Volume 21 Number 4 Winter 2016

45. Tomljenovic L, Shaw CA. Do aluminum vaccine adjuvants contributeto the rising prevalence of autism? J Inorg Biochem 2011;105(11):14891499.
46. Shaw CA, Sheth S, Li D, Tomljenovic L. Etiology of autism spectrum
disorders: genes, environment, or both? OA Autism 2014;2(2):11.
47. Shaw CA, Seneff S, Kette SD, et al. Aluminum-induced entropy inbiological systems: implications for neurological disease. J Toxicol
2014;2014:491316.
48. Shaw CA, Li Y, Tomljenovic L. Administration of aluminium to neonatal
mice in vaccine-relevant amounts is associated with adverse long term
neurological outcomes. J Inorg Biochem 2013;128:237-244.
49. Department of Health and Human Services, National Vaccine Program
Office, and Task Force for Child Survival and Development). Transcript ofpresentations at: Workshop on Aluminum in Vaccines; San Juan, Puerto
Rico; May 11, 2000:1-263.
50. Department of Health and Human Services, National Vaccine Program
Office, and Task Force for Child Survival and Development. Transcript ofpresentations at: Workshop on Aluminum in Vaccines. San Juan, Puerto
Rico; May 12, 2000:1-160.
51. CDC. Transcript: Scientific review of vaccine safety datalink information.
Norcross, Ga.; June 7-8, 2000.
52. Haley BE. Mercury toxicity: genetic susceptibility and synergistic effects.
Medical Veritas 2005;2(2):535-542. Available at: http://www.1796kotok.
com/pdfs/haley.pdf. Accessed Aug 23, 2016.
53. Eickhoff TC, Myers M. Workshop summary. Aluminum in vaccines.
Vaccine 2002;20(Suppl 3):S1-S4.
54. Mitkus RJ, King DB, Hess MA, Forshee RA, Walderhaug MO. Updated
aluminum pharmacokinetics following infant exposures through dietand vaccination. Vaccine 2011;29(51):9538-9543.
55. Golub MS, Germann SL. Long-term consequences of developmental
exposure to aluminum in a suboptimal diet for growth and behavior of
Swiss Webster mice. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2001;23(4):365-372.
56. ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry). Toxicological
profile for aluminum. Atlanta, Ga: U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services; Sep 24, 2008.

57. Bilkei-Gorzó A. Neurotoxic effect of enteral aluminium. Food Chem
Toxicol 1993;31(5):357-361.
58. Sethi P, Jyoti A, Singh R, Hussain E, Sharma D. Aluminium-induced
electrophysiological, biochemical and cognitive modifications in the
hippocampus of aging rats. Neurotoxicol 2008;29(6):1069-1079.
59. Sethi P, Jyoti A, Hussain E, Sharma D. Curcumin attenuates aluminiuminduced functional neurotoxicity in rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav
2009;93(1):31-39.
60. Alawdi SH, El-Denshary ES, Safar MM, et al. Neuroprotective effectof nanodiamond in Alzheimer’s disease rat model: a pivotal role formodulating NF-κB and STAT3 signaling. Mol Neurobiol 2016; Feb 20.
[Epub ahead of print.]
61. Lukiw WJ, Bjattacharjee S, Zhao Y, Pogue AI, Percy ME. Generation ofreactive oxygen species (ROS) and pro-inflammatory signaling in humanbrain cells in primary culture. J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism 2012; Jan 25;
Suppl 2:001. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/
PMC3947825/. Accessed Nov 21, 2016.
62. Alexandrov PN, Kruck TP, Lukiw WJ. Nanomolar aluminum induces
expression of the inflammatory systemic biomarker C-reactive protein(CRP) in human brain microvessel endothelial cells (hBMECs). J Inorg
Biochem 2015; 152:210-213.
63. WHO. Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety; Jun 6-7, 2012.
Weekly Epidemiology Record 2012;87(30):281-288.
64. Keith LS, Jones DE, Chou CH. Aluminum toxicokinetics regarding infant
diet and vaccinations. Vaccine 2002;20(Suppl 3):S13-S17.
65. FDA. Aluminum in large and small volume parenterals used in total
parenteral nutrition; agency information collection activities, proposedcollection, comment request. Federal Register 2006;71(38):98299830. DOCID: fr27fe06-65. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/
dockets/98fr/E6-2727.htm. Accessed Aug 22, 2016.
66. FDA. Aluminum in large and small volume parenterals used in total
parenteral nutrition. Code of Federal Regulations—Title 21, Apr 1, 2015
(revised): 21CFR201.323(e). Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.
gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=201.323.
AccessedAug 22, 2016.

LIMITED TIME OFFER Common Sense Medicine
Bulk discounts on powerful new book to empower patients.
Hot off the press, is a powerful, easy-to-read, andentertaining exposé of the root problems plaguing
American medicine and the simple solutions!

Buy copies to put in your waiting room!
1 to 24 copies: $3/book

BEST DEAL:
buy 25 or more for $1 each.

order online at

http://aapsonline.org/bookdeal
Common Sense Medicine is written by award-winning author, Jeff Danby.
Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons Volume 21 Number 4 Winter 2016

117