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Wednesday, 24 April 2024

Monday, 25 April 2005 12:48

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Doubt over mercury health risk

Researchers have found that mercury used in some vaccines may be less dangerous than previously believed.

Thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative, is widely used in vaccines but has been phased out after links to autism were found.

Only jabs for hepatitis B and influenza now contain thimerosal in the UK after a five-in-one baby vaccine for polio, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and hib was replaced last autumn.

But now researchers from The University of Washington, after performing tests on monkeys, have found that thimerosal is less toxic than the mercury found in fish and pollution.

The monkeys were found to clear ethyl mercury – which contains thimerosal - from their blood stream faster than methyl mercury – the type found in pollution.

The researchers did not say that ethyl mercury was harmless but concluded that it was less of a health risk and called for more research as many parents currently believe the potential risks of some vaccines outweigh the benefits.

A spokeswoman for the UK drugs regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, said there was strong evidence that thimerosal in vaccines did not cause health problems but it had been phased out as a precaution on advice from the World Health Organisation.