Since the [latest data] came from kids who had vaccines [largely] without
thiomersal, this factor plays no apparent role in the increased rates of this disorder,' says Emanual DiCicco-Bloom of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway, New Jersey, who was not involved in the study.
Eoe1/4EoThe safety of
thiomersal has been rigorously reviewed.
MSP Leckie said: "I am shocked that the health service in Scotland still has
thiomersal.
Ministers said that driving factor behind the change was better vaccines with fewer side effects, not the removal of
thiomersal.
There has been speculation that
thiomersal can affect a child's brain development.
This doesn't mean that babies who've had the old jab that contained
thiomersal are at any risk from developing side affects, it just means the new jab doesn't contain the mercury it used to.
They also said that the mercury-based preservative
thiomersal would no longer be used in the whooping cough vaccine as part of a worldwide aim of reducing exposure to the element.
Details of the new combined injection were announced by the Department of Health after it emerged that the mercury-based preservative
thiomersal was to be removed from the whooping cough vaccine.
However,
thiomersal is found in the diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough jab given to young babies, and the diphtheria and tetanus one given as a pre-school booster.
There is currently no accepted scientific evidence that
thiomersal in vaccines has any adverse effects, but following the precautionary principle, "which assumes there is no harm in exercising caution even if it later turns out to be unwarranted," vaccine-makers immediately phased out the compound.
The safe and sterile virus suspension was admixed with
thiomersal sodium at rate of 0.
Organic mercury compounds have been used as fungicides and pharmaceutical agents like mercurochrome in topical antiseptics,
thiomersal as a preservative in vaccines.
