Thiomersal

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[[File:Thiorot.gif|thumb|right|165px|Wheee!]]{{vax}}
'''Thiomersal''' (US trademark name '''thimerosal''', originally trademarked '''merthiolate''', chemical formula '''C<sub>9</sub>H<sub>9</sub>HgNaO<sub>2</sub>S''')<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2376879/ Mercury, Vaccines, and Autism], Jeffrey P. Baker, ''NCBI'' February 2008</ref> is a [[mercury]]-containing compound ''formerly'' used as a preservative in many [[vaccine]]s. The fact that some mercury compounds are toxic has led many in the [[anti-vaccination movement]] to conclude that vaccines containing this compound are dangerous. However, there is little [[evidence]] to support this.

Some people are afraid of thiomersal [[Chemophobia|not least because it sounds chemical-y]] and [[Appeal to nature|unnatural]].

In the [[Autism omnibus trial]], it was decided that thiomersal in vaccines was not the cause of the condition.

==History==
In January 1928, 42 children received injections of a diphtheria vaccine in Bundeberg, [[Austria]]. The first 21 were vaccinated from a fresh container of the TAM vaccine. Several days later, the same batch was used to inoculate a further 21 children; two days later, 12 children from this second group had died. This wasn't due to the dangers of the vaccine, but because their vaccine did not contain preservatives of any kind. The lack of an antibacterial agent in the sample of vaccine caused the second group of children to be injected with live staphylococcus [[bacteria]], which had grown inside the batch between injecting the first group and the second. From this point on, preservatives and antibacterial agents became essential ingredients in vaccines, and thiomersal is one of several effective preservatives.<ref name=FDAThio1>[https://web.archive.org/web/20250629102304/https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/safety-availability-biologics/thimerosal-and-vaccines Thimerosal in Vaccines] ''U.S. Food and Drug Administration'' (archived from June 29, 2025).</ref>

It seems [[ironic]], then, for anti-vaccination groups who want "vaccine safety" to attack one of the compounds responsible for making vaccines extremely safe.

===Phase-out===
In 1999 the [[CDC]] and the American Academy of Pediatrics requested a voluntary removal of thiomersal from vaccines, and today the preservative is mainly used only in seasonal [[flu]] vaccines. This may have actually encouraged anti-vaccine groups instead of shutting them up (as intended), by showing them that the [[FDA]] would bend to demands and that the FDA had doubts about vaccine safety (which they didn't). This of course has also done nothing to discourage the supposed link between vaccines and [[autism]]&nbsp;— even though the alleged cause hasn't been used as an ingredient in childhood vaccines for 15 years. Notably, neither the [[MMR vaccine]] nor the [[COVID-19 vaccine]] has ever contained thiomersal,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20250324102350/https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/about/thimerosal.html Thimerosal and Vaccines] ''CDC'' (archived from March 24, 2025).</ref> despite many antivaxxers' claims otherwise.

The only routine vaccines that still contain thiomersal are some types of [[flu shot|influenza vaccine]]<ref name=FDAThio1/> and one brand (Tripedia) of DPT vaccine.<ref>{{wpa|DPT vaccine}}</ref> Almost all other vaccines have trace or no thiomersal, usually using non-mercury-compound-containing alternative preservatives.<ref name=FDAThio1/> Arguments against other routine vaccinations should not ''invoke'' thiomersal.

===Lunatics are running the asylum===
If the unintended consequences of the 1999 CDC decision weren't bad enough, noted antivaxxer [[Robert F. Kennedy Jr.]] was made Secretary of Health and Human Services by president [[Donald Trump]] and the [[Republican]]-controlled [[US Senate]] in 2025. RFK quickly reneged on his empty promises to the Senate during his confirmation hearings.<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/10/politics/rfk-vaccine-promises-bill-cassidy-analysis RFK Jr. made some promises on vaccines to get confirmed. Is he breaking them?] by Aaron Blake (4:21 PM EDT, Tue June 10, 2025) ''CNN''.</ref> He sacked the original CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and quickly appointed a crew of his fellow antivaxxers to the ACIP (the CDC is part of HHS). The committee in turn quickly voted to remove thimerosal from all vaccines.<ref>[https://www.vaccineadvisor.com/news/newly-formed-cdc-advisory-committee-vote-to-remove-thimerosal-from-flu-vaccines/ The ACIP voted to remove thimerosal from influenza vaccines in all age groups and pregnancy.] by Jaymin Kang (July 2, 2025) ''Vaccine Advisor''.</ref>

RFK had poisoned himself from mercury in high-food-chain fish (tuna and perch in his case) that he had made a substantial part of his diet. The mercury poisoning was detected in 2010, along with his brain worm (which allegedly came from pork),<ref>[https://archive.ph/FG8Yr Omnivore, Intermittent Faster, Reformed Twinkie Lover: the R.F.K. Jr. Diet] by Rebecca Davis O’Brien (Nov. 16, 2024) ''The New York Times''.</ref> decades after it was known that such fish had high levels of mercury.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110710233504/http://feedmethefacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/cocoros_and_cahn_19731.pdf Mercury concentrations in fish, plankton and water from three Western Atlantic estuaries] by Glenn Cocoros & Phyllis H. Cahn (1973) ''J. Fish Biol.'' 5:641-647.</ref>

==Toxicity==
===Mercury===
[[Image:Thiomersal.svg|thumb|right|[[Molecule|Molecular]] structure of thiomersal. Note the dreaded "Hg" for mercury.]]
Thiomersal ''does'' contain the element mercury. However, this mercury is in an ethylmercury bond (Ethyl(2-mercaptobenzoato-(2-)-''O,S'') mercurate(1-) sodium). Any argument involving the ingestion of 'toxic mercury' as an element should be compared to an average person's daily ingestion of chlorine (a poisonous gas) through ordinary table [[salt]] (NaCl). Chlorine gas is prohibited in warfare, with its usage considered as a [[war crime]].<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2016/sep/16/chlorine-the-gas-of-war-crimes Chlorine: the gas of war crimes] by Kathryn Harkup (16 Sep 2016 02.00 EDT) ''The Guardian''.</ref>

Many mercury compounds, particularly those with mercury-[[carbon]] bonds, ''are'' neurotoxins, such as methylmercury and dimethylmercury.<ref name=FDAThio1 /><ref>[http://www.fda.gov/cber/vaccine/thimerosal.htm Thimerosal in Vaccines]. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 2012 June 20.</ref> Most of the concern about thiomersal derives from analogy with methylmercury, a well-characterized mercury compound, but it is unclear whether the actual pharmacology is similar to thiomersal. Initial studies on the pharmacokinetics indicate several differences between methylmercury and thiomersal.<ref>Burbacher TM, Shen DD, Liberato N, Grant KS, Cernichiari E, Clarkson T. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16079072 Comparison of Blood and Brain Mercury Levels in Infant Monkeys Exposed to Methylmercury or Vaccines Containing Thimerosal.] ''Environmental Health Perspectives''. 005 Aug;113(8):1015-21.</ref>

Consider that [[ethanol]] and methanol are ''extremely'' similar molecules but have quite different effects on the body.{{efn|Even ten milliliters of methanol will destroy your optic nerves, causing blindness, burn holes in your brain, and kill you. Ethanol is much less toxic, as any [[alcohol]]ic will tell you… after their hangover subsides.}}

In 2014, RFK edited a book written by two medical doctors, one of whom, Mark Hyman, a [[Functional medicine]] practitioner, failed to comprehend basic [[chemistry]] and toxicology:
{{cquote|There is no debate that mercury in any form is toxic. Scientists may debate the differences in toxicity between different forms of mercury, such as ethylmercury (which is an ingredient in Thimerosal) or methylmercury (from fish). But all would agree that mercury is a potent neurotoxin.|||Mark Hyman<ref>[https://archive.org/details/thimerosal-let-the-science-speak-vaccine-robert-f.-kennedy-jr/page/n7/mode/2up ''Thimerosal: Let The Science Speak'']</ref>}}
Ethylmercury is not an ingredient in thimerosal since thimerosal is a single chemical structure, it is a ''component'' of thimerosal. This is an important difference in toxicology, since toxicology is the study of the toxicity of individual chemicals. While it is true that "There is no debate that mercury in any form is toxic." for mercury the element (Hg). It is not true in the sense that Hyman means it, any chemical containing the [[atom]] mercury.

The other author of the book, Martha R. Herbert, is also an [[alternative medicine]] supporter with unorthodox views on autism.<ref>[https://sethmnookin.com/2011/02/02/nyt-piece-on-doubting-science-features-graphic-by-controversial-autism-researcher/ NYT piece on “doubting” science features graphic by controversial autism researcher] by Seth Mnookin (February 2nd, 2011) ''Seth Mnookin''.</ref>

===Dosage===
{{main|The dose makes the poison}}
While in large doses thiomersal can be toxic, a 2002 study indicated that the mercury levels in infants receiving a vaccine preserved by an appropriate amount of thiomersal were low, some so trace that they could not be measured [[Statistical significance|within significance]]. For comparison, the toxicity of mercury compounds found in fish oil pills is likely to exceed that of thiomersal. The study showed that the blood concentrations of mercury were below [[EPA]] guidelines and that the amount of mercury in stool samples was higher than normal. This indicated both that additional mercury was present (bad) and that the body was able to easily eliminate the mercury, rather than accumulate it (good).<ref>Pichichero ME, Cernichiari E, Lopreiato J, Treanor J. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12480426 Mercury concentrations and metabolism in infants receiving vaccines containing thimerosal: a descriptive study.] ''Lancet''. 2002 Nov 30;360(9347):1737-41.</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20060211043154/http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/thimerosal.htm NIAID Research on Thimerosal]. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). 2005 April 22.</ref>

The amount of thimerosal actually present in vaccines is quite low and, most importantly, there are large studies available that have shown no evidence of harm.<ref>Barile JP, Kuperminc GP, Weintraub ES, Mink JW, Thompson WW. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21785120 Thimerosal exposure in early life and neuropsychological outcomes 7-10 years later.] ''Journal Pediatric Psychology''. 2012 Jan-Feb;37(1):106-18. Epub 2011 Jul 23.</ref> In fact, you are exposed to more mercury by eating seafood than you are by taking any vaccines with thiomersal, and with most of the mercury in fish being toxic methylmercury to boot.<ref>[https://vaxopedia.org/2018/06/02/why-does-the-fda-warn-about-mercury-in-fish-but-not-mercury-in-flu-shots/ Why Does the FDA Warn About Mercury in Fish, but Not Mercury in Flu Shots?], Vincent Iannelli, ''Vaxopedia''</ref>

===Autism===
{{main|Autism}}
It's also interesting to note that mercury toxicity has many significant differences to the symptoms of autism. Some of the more common signs of mercury poisoning are skin discoloration/shedding, itching/burning pain in the extremities, and loss of hair/nails/teeth (pronounced in children).<ref>{{wpa|Mercury_toxicity}}</ref> None of these has ever been noted as an adverse effect of vaccinations stabilized by thiomersal.

==See also==
*[[Anti-vaccination movement]]
*[[Autism and pseudoscience]]
*[[Chemophobia]]

==External links==
*[https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/vaccines/thimerosal-vaccines-questions-and-answers Thimerosal in Vaccines Questions and Answers], FDA
*[https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/safety-availability-biologics/thimerosal-and-vaccines Thimerosal and Vaccines], FDA

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Anti-vaccination movement]]
[[Category:Autism woo]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Chemicals]]
[[Category:Mental health woo]]

Categories: Anti-vaccination movement, Autism woo, Biology, Chemicals, Mental health woo