The Trump administration’s new vaccine adviser on Thursday vaccinated nearly every American for the flu this fall — but only if they use certain lenses, without retaining the preservatives that have been safely used for the vaccine for decades.
In U.S. Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
A seven-member panel on Thursday discussed the safety of preservatives used in less than 5% of the U.S. flu vaccinations: It was considered based solely on the introduction of former leaders of anti-vaccine organizations, and does not allow the U.S. scientific data on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to usually play scientific data publicly.
Preservatives are used in some vaccines in multiple dose vials, and magnesium sulfur has been used for decades to prevent contamination, as each dose is withdrawn. Its controversy stems from the inclusion of a small amount of specific types of mercury. But the CDC’s own data shows it is safe, and the World Health Organization said in a press conference on Friday that there is no evidence of risk.
Dr. Katherine O’Brien’s decision on the American group, and Dr. Katherine O’Brien reviewed Themossies several times.
The sulfhydryl magnesium content contains a certain amount of ethyl mercury. Unlike methyl mercury, this mercury quickly decomposes and removes quickly in the body. The mercury type found in the environment can accumulate in the body and cause harm. In Canada, the few multi-dose influenza vaccines approved by Health Canada contain thimerosal, but the vast majority of conventional childhood vaccines do not.
Single dose of influenza will not be affected
One study found no evidence that thiamine can cause autism, a myth that the anti-vaccine population has long posed or posed any safety risks. However, since 2001, all vaccines have been commonly used in children under 6 years of age, which are usually used in thio-free formulas.
The advisory panel voted in favor of the usual U.S. recommendation that almost everyone aged six and older receives annual flu vaccination, but then voted 5-1 for abstention, which must be a thiamine-free formula.
This will include single-dose shots that are already the most common type of influenza vaccine and exclude a subset of influenza vaccines distributed in multiple dose vials.
“There is still no obvious evidence of hazards,” said Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, a panelist, formerly a psychiatrist at the National Institutes of Health.
But he argued that “we must respect the fear of Mercury”, saying that some people may be discouraged from getting vaccinated.
Panel blocks CDC analysis
Lyn Redwood, formerly an anti-vaccine group called Children’s Health Defense, created by Kennedy, gave a speech on thimerosal in front of the panel, which believed it was a neurotoxin.
Versions of Redwood’s presentation were posted to the CDC website earlier this week, initially including citations to non-existent studies. Her report to the committee was greatly shortened, removing references to the study, and another slide said she had no conflicts of interest.
Dr. Fiona Havers, a former CDC vaccine consultant, said: “With the vote on Thimerosal this afternoon, the new committee turned the ACIP process into a farce.
The medical group condemned the group’s lack of transparency in blocking CDC’s analysis of mercury sulfide, concluding that there is no link between preservatives, including autism, and neurodevelopmental disorders. The data was posted on the committee’s website on Tuesday, but was later deleted – because the report has not been authorized by the Kennedy office, according to ACIP member Dr. Robert Malone. The group members said they had read it.
ACIP helps CDC determine who should get the disease’s vaccine, when and its recommendations have a significant impact on the availability and coverage of vaccines in the U.S.
Typically, the CDC’s board decides whether to accept the ACIP’s advice, but the Senate has not confirmed nominee Susan Monarez. Administration officials said Kennedy would make the decision.
Although Thursday’s debate involved only a small percentage of influenza vaccines, some public health experts believe the discussion unnecessarily raised doubts about vaccine safety. Less than half of Americans have received the annual flu vaccine, and distrust of the vaccine is growing overall.
“Selective use of data and omissions have undermined misinformation of public trust and fuel,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). “None of their recent actions have been scientific or transparent.”
A new study published in the Lancet Medical Journal shows that childhood vaccinations have stagnated or declined since 2010. The authors say geopolitical instability has promoted declines in some countries, but misinformation has largely contributed to declines in high-income countries.
The pediatrics team announced Wednesday that it will no longer attend the ACIP meeting, and President Sue Kressly said in a video statement: “With the committee’s dismissal, it’s no longer a credible process.” The AAP will continue to issue its own vaccination recommendations.
The flu vote marked the final step in the two-day meeting, shocking pediatricians and other physician groups, pointing out that new panelists lack the expertise to properly track vaccine safety, and a shift in focus seems to promote anti-vaccine messaging.
Particularly worrying is the announcement of a reevaluation of the “cumulative effect” of the childhood vaccine schedule, a list of immunizations conducted at different times throughout childhood. This reflects the scientific debunking idea that children today are vaccinating the immune system.
