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Over concerns of link to autism, preservative in shot to be optional
TweetVaccines will ship in single doses and multidose vials.
By Rick Rouan
The vaccine preservative that some groups have claimed causes autism will be optional in the coming batch of H1N1 vaccines, the county’s health director said.
The injectable vaccines will ship in both single doses, which are thimerosal-free, and the multidose vials that contain the preservative, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Thimerosal is a preservative that contains microscopic portions of mercury and is used in multidose vials of vaccines, said Dr. John Venglarcik, the Mahoning County Board of Health medical director.
Autism-awareness groups have tried to identify the preservative as a cause of autism in young children, but the medical director pointed out that there is no scientific evidence to support that theory.
“There’s really no evidence that this is harmful in any way, shape or form,” he said. “Quite honestly, you get more mercury eating fish.”
Although no scientific evidence has proved that thimerosal causes autism, the preservative was taken out of pediatric vaccines about five years ago, Venglarcik said.
“The fact of the matter is that since this has been taken out of all pediatric vaccines, there’s been no change in the instances of autism,” he said.
The Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety supports Venglarcik’s stance. In 2006, the committee concluded that there was no scientific support for concerns about thimerosal. The committee was established by the World Health Organization to provide a scientific assessment of vaccine safety.
The mercury in thimerosal, according to the committee, is ethyl mercury, which stays in the blood for less than a week and is excreted. The more harmful methyl mercury stays in the blood for about a month and a half and accumulates in the body.
Terry Chapin, president of the local chapter of the Autism Society, said that he has seen anecdotal evidence of increases in autism rates, and if thimerasol was a cause, he would expect to see rates decrease.
“I’ve certainly seen enough e-mail correspondence and various articles that still are saying that it could have been a cause of autism,” Chapin said. “The concern that I have is that you have not seen a decrease in the rates of autism.”
Chapin said that a lot of current research has been done by companies with a stake in the argument. “I think there’s still a little bit more fact-finding that needs to be done to conclusively prove or disprove that one way or the other,” he added.
Venglarcik also said that the risk of getting the disease from the vaccine is “very small.”
The health department is trying to establish what is called “herd immunity,” Venglarcik said.
If the department can get about 80 percent of the population immunized, the vaccines tend to help eradicate the disease. This is the same tactic that was used to eliminate polio, Venglarcik said.
But the key is immunizing children, which “tend to be the vehicle to spread to a community,” Venglarcik said.
“It’s going to be critical that we get the kids. If we get the school-age population immunized, then we can start to get that barrier in the school system,” he said.
The vaccine will be available in a nasal spray form the third week in October, Venglarcik said, and the injectable vaccine will be available the fourth week of October. The department is working with local school districts to organize clinics to distribute the vaccine.
rrouan@vindy.com
SEE ALSO:EMTs in Ohio get go-ahead to dispense H1N1 vaccines.
Comments
Must be nice to be a doctor in a public health position and tell lies and no one questions you.The media is the public relations arm of these guys. No questions, no investigations, just print whatever they tell you.
Just a couple of points. First thimerosal has never been out of pediatric vaccines. It's been in the flu vaccine that has been heavily pushed on pregnant women and also in pediatirc vaccines. It has always been extremely difficult to get a thimerosal-free vaccine. They are supposedly produced but no one ever seems to be able to get them. Bait and switch. Trace amounts of mercury are still in other pediatric vaccines. Dr. V makes a comparision between eating fish and having mercury injected into a tiny baby- that is a ridiculous comparison. Do you know tiny babies get the same does as an adult? Did you know tiny babies who have never had the flu vaccine get not just one but 2 doses? Why didn't he mention that? And there is research showing the harm of injecting mercury into primates. And many other studies. But he either doesn't know about it- or doesn't want you to know about it. He's relying on the studies funded by the same pharmaceutical companies that put the stuff in the vaccines in the first place! It's crazy!
When people get the flumist vaccine they are shedding a live virus for 21 days after vaccination. A perfect way to spread the flu, don't you think? So once these public health people get these clinics going in schools I bet the flu is going to be in full swing- oh and be careful those of you who have compromised immune systems- because you are now at risk being around these people who have gotten that form of vaccine. Quite thoughtful of the public health agencies to put you at risk isn't it?
And back to autism and vaccines. People must understand that only one vaccine ingredient has been studied, and one vaccine- the MMR. We have tripled our vaccine schedule for infants and children in the last 20 years. And we have never looked at the entire vaccine schedule just those 2 things.
So listen up pregnant women. The CDC just said this week autism is now found in 1 in 91 children. 1 in 60 boys. So- if you are having a boy according to the CDC chances of your son having autism are pretty good. They still don't know why autism is so prevalent now but they are telling you it's not the vaccines based on little and flawed research Please ladies think for your babies sake.
http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/rep...
http://www.peakwriting.com/autism100....
AP Poll: 72% Of Parents Worried About H1N1 Vaccine Side Effects
One third will refuse to inoculate their children
Steve Watson
Infowars.net
Thursday, Oct 8, 2009
A new scientific poll has found that a whopping 72% of parents in America have reservations over the safety of the H1N1 vaccine.
Results of the Associated Press-GfK poll reveal that more than one third (38%) will refuse to get their children vaccinated in clinics or at schools because they feel the vaccine is too new and too untested.
While some parents said they oppose the vaccine because swine flu doesn’t amount to any greater health threat than seasonal flu, others cited concerns that flu vaccinations are known to cause the paralyzing nerve condition Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Some also voiced worries over the mercury-based preservative thimerosal, which has been used in around 60% of the 225 million swine flu doses ordered for Americans.
Some scientists have testified that the preservative can cause brain disorders such as autism.
Some autism watchdogs share the concerns over the H1N1 vaccine, and have said that the hype surrounding the virus is unnecessary.
“We’re flipping out over swine flu, but it’s only affected a few thousand people. Why isn’t somebody freaking out about the autism epidemic?” Wendy Fournier, president of the National Autism Association told the AP.
The AP-GfK poll was based on a nationally representative sample of 1,003 adults age 18 or older.
Other recent polls have revealed a similar trend with only one third of adults saying they trust the safety of the vaccine, and two thirds of parents saying they would either refuse the vaccine outright or wait for more information before considering vaccinating their children.
Even Rush Limbaugh....
RUSH: So Canal Fulton, Ohio. This is Mary. I'm glad you called. You're up first. Welcome to the program.
CALLER: Hi, Rush. Hey, I want to ask you to rethink your refusal to get the swine flu vaccine because I'm thinking that they know that if they tell you you have to get it, they know that you won't get it just to spite them, and then you'll get the swine flu and then what will all the rest of us do?
RUSH: Look, I have a healthy ego. It's not out of control like Obama's, but I actually don't think that that dork, Kathleen Sebelius, is playing a mind game with me. I don't think she's saying, "You must take it," knowing full well I won't and then I will get the flu.
CALLER: Well, mom always said, "Don't cut off your nose to spite your face," so just be careful out there.
RUSH: Look, see, I'm not seeing these mass deaths from the swine flu -- I'm sorry, I really don't want to insult the pork business, from the H1N1 virus. All I see is a bunch of typical government panic and hype. Remember the bird flu. Remember the monkey flu. Remember the pig flu of four years ago. Every year some disaster is going to wipe us all out, and the life expectancy keeps going up. I've never had a flu shot in my life. (interruption) Approaching the threshold of what? What threshold am I approaching? The age threshold, oh, is that right? The age threshold. Then why are they closing schools in panic? This one hits the young harder, huh? That's right. Then why are you even telling me about the age threshold? Well, you know, I really can't relate. Even some of my own staff here are now warning me against my obstinance here.
Let me ask you a question. Who put the notion that you gotta have this shot or whatever the hell the vaccine is, who put the notion in your head that you gotta do it? Government did. The Obama government, to be specific. One of my fervent objectives and goals before I do move to New Zealand and start spending everything I have before they take it away from me, is to convince as many people as possible that the damn government is not God, and nobody in it even comes close to being as competent as you are to run your life. And yet, "Oh, my God, the government report says --" Next time you hear "the government says," don't believe it. You'll be healthier. Trust me.
Good comments and true. Parents beware. One of the wealthiest industries in the world is the pharmaceutical industry...create a scare (virus), then offer to solve it and sometimes make it mandatory. What a deal!
Do they, (government and Pharm company) have any liability. What happens when people die or are vegetableized, like in the case of the cervical cancer vaccine they want to force on little girls
I prefer the teachings of Mr. Randy Watson. Also, Rush Limbaugh is the antichrist. Citing his expertise on anything pharmaceutical makes sense though...because he's a junkie.
Pharma companies are absolutely liable.
No Jeff they are not. liable.
On June 15, 2009, Secretary Sebelius signed a declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act to extend liability immunity against tort claims (except for willful misconduct) to individuals and entities involved in all stages of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine development, testing, manufacture, distribution, prescribing, administration, and use. Liability immunity means that there is no legal tort claim that can be pursued in state or federal court. Individuals and entities that receive liability immunity under the declaration include manufacturers, distributors, States, locals, Tribes, and other entities that supervise or administer a vaccination program, and healthcare professionals or others authorized under State law to prescribe, administer, and dispense vaccines, when they are carrying out activities in accordance with the conditions stated in the declaration. One condition of the declaration is that the vaccination activities must relate to a present or future federal contract, grant, cooperative agreement, interagency agreement, or memorandum of understanding. Vaccines procured by the federal government for distribution are included. PREP Act declarations are intended to encourage manufactures to produce vaccine, and other entities to participate in distribution, dispensing, administration, and use of the vaccine.