RISKS OF MERCURY AND VACCINES- Knowledge trumps Supposition By Mark B. Levin, M.D. andTimothy Patrick-Miller, M.D. The Pediatric Group, P.A., Princeton

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We are fortunate to live in an era of disease prevention. Most of us know the importance of leading a healthy life style (exercise and appropriate diet) to minimize the risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, hyperlipidemia, et cetera. We often fail to realize, however, that in the recent past, the leading killers in this country (and currently in many parts of the world) have been infectious diseases, not metabolic nor nutritional ones. Prevention of these diseases has been the driving force behind the avid vaccine development since the 1940s. For example, in 1950 in the USA, there were more than 120,000 cases and 1100 deaths from Pertussis ("whooping cough") reported, 800 of the deaths occurring in infants. Little wonder that people lined up in the 50s and 60's for the vaccine as soon as it was available. By the 1970's, the death rate was near zero! Vaccines save lives!

The very success of vaccines has both hidden their benefit, and brought to the foreground their risks, some real, some possible, many exaggerated and several disproved. Risk of real adverse reactions -such as high fever- from the original, "whole cell" Pertussis vaccine have been minimized with the newer, less reactive "acellular" Pertussis Vaccine . Other risks are more perceived than real. For example, while the allegations of potential brain damage from the old vaccine still circulate in the popular press, the suspected whole cell vaccine has long been replaced by the newer vaccine, and subsequent scientific studies have soundly refuted the supposition that the old vaccine caused brain damage.

Newer allegations about vaccines causing developmental problems still circulate. The majority of vaccines are given early in life, which is, coincidentally, when developmental problems surface. Autistic Spectrum Disorder, which includes Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder, is a tragically common developmental disorder which presents during toddlerhood and currently does not have a proven cause. When untoward things happen in this world, we often search for an explanation. A British researcher raised a concern about a temporal association between Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) Vaccine and autism. Subsequent independent studies in several countries have confirmed that there is no causal relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism. In fact, the researcher has subsequently retracted his original suspicion, but not before thousands of parents had refused to immunize their children, causing an upsurge in Measles and its complications. Concurrence or association does not equal causation. Lack of scientific data, poorly performed investigative journalism and emotional issues have sadly produced an increasing and increasingly irrational fear of vaccines.

Now the spotlight has turned to mercury. Mercury is used in a preservative that prevents contaminating bacterial overgrowth in vaccine vials. While more and more are synthetic, most vaccines are still produced from living organisms that are either attenuated (made mild enough to not cause serious disease while still inducing immunity) or killed. Because the manufacturing process involved living things, it is important to modify the production process in a way that precludes living contaminants. Thus, preservatives are added to vaccines much in the way that they are added to many foods to minimize bacterial contamination, allowing safe storage and enhancing safety for humans.

The downside to Mercury? Certainly , mercury in sufficient quantity can cause disease and death (remember even water or salt in excessive quantities can cause death). According to FDA analysis in 2005, tuna fish contains 0.64 micrograms of mercury for each gram of tuna. A 60 gram portion (about two ounces) would contain 38.4 micrograms of mercury. By contrast, vaccine manufacturers using thimerosal (a mercury containing compound) as the preservative are adding between 12.5 and 25 micrograms of mercury per dose of vaccine. Although children get multiple doses of vaccine, they eat far more tuna fish! Even the recommendations for pregnant women to eat no more than one portion of tuna fish per week exceeds the amount children would get in vaccines if thimerosal were still in use. Simply to avoid the controversy, vaccine manufacturers have omitted thimerosal in vaccines intended for use in young children, despite the fact that there is mounting scientific evidence that thimerosal has not caused any harm and does not cause autism.

We are by no means belittling the need for discovering the cause of conditions like autism. It is a serious problem and cries out for definition. Recent studies suggest that it may be more likely to occur in children with a specific genetic makeup. More studies are needed to confirm or refute this finding. On the other hand, without adequate investigation, it also does no good to blame autism on factors that are associated without being causative. For example, one might reason that since most alcoholics have telephones that owning a telephone promotes or causes alcoholism. It is, of course, ludicrously absurd to make this suggestion. We do not have any cause to legislate telephone ownership from alcoholics! Neither do we have any cause for concern about the proposed relations described in the foregoing paragraphs.

A far more significant health issue is our environmental contamination with industrial pollutants, of which mercury is one. If we can clean up our manufacturing act, we stand to reap great health benefits for us, our children and our children's children. Meanwhile, ongoing worries about thimerosal do not seem justified.

Dr. Mark B. Levin

Dr. Levin has been a member of the staff at The Pediatric Group since 1977. Currently an attending Pediatrician at the Medical Center at Princeton, he has been Chairman, Department of Pediatrics, Medical Center at Princeton, 1984 to 1986, 1989 to 1992, and past President, Medical and Dental Staff, Medical Center at Princeton, 1987 to 1988. Dr. Levin has served on numerous Departmental and hospital committees. He has published original articles both while at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse and at The Pediatric Group. He has a wife and three children. Dr. Levin enjoys alpine skiing, jogging, hiking and camping, travel, computers and racquetball.

Dr. Patrick-Miller

Dr. Patrick-Miller has been a member of the staff at The Pediatric Group since 1985. Dr. Patrick-Miller has served on several Departmental and hospital committees. He has published original work while at The Pediatric Group. He and his wife enjoy travel. He also likes hiking, biking, gardening and reading.

ŠAll rights reserved, The Pediatric Group, P.A. 2005