RFK Jr. Bans Thimerosal in Vaccines, Despite Experts, Studies Noting Its Safety

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Wednesday that he is formally rescinding the use of thimerosal in vaccines distributed throughout the United States — despite the fact that there is no evidence of harm from the ingredient.

The move was recommended by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) committee last month. (Upon taking office earlier this year, Kennedy had dismissed the entirety of the existing board and replaced them with individuals harboring anti-vaccination views.)

Thimerosal is a safe, mercury-based chemical that is included in a small amount of influenza vaccines, typically those that are offered as a two-dose vaccine regimen. The decision will only affect 4-5 percent of the flu vaccine supply, as most in the U.S. receive single-dose vaccine options.

However, health experts are warning that the removal of the ingredient could lead to fewer Americans trying to obtain a flu vaccine — particularly those from vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, who may need a two-dose regimen rather than the single-dose one. The move also reinforces unfounded fears about vaccine ingredients, and may result in more vaccine hesitancy among the populace overall.

Some anti-vaxxers have contended, without evidence, that the inclusion of thimerosal in vaccines leads to higher rates of autism in children. Dozens of studies across several decades disprove that point — yet Kennedy perpetuated the idea that thimerosal was unsafe in a statement after signing off on the CDC panel’s recommendations.

“Injecting any amount of mercury into children when safe, mercury-free alternatives exist defies common sense and public health responsibility,” Kennedy insisted.

The CDC’s own website hasn’t yet caught up to Kennedy’s anti-vaccine fearmongering. According to the CDC, “There is no evidence of harm caused by the low doses of thimerosal in vaccines, except for minor reactions like redness and swelling at the injection site.”

And, as documented on an explainer page on the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia website, several studies showcase that anti-vaxxers’ claims regarding autism and thimerosal are unfounded. Indeed, some studies included on that page actually found that, when thimerosal was removed from vaccines, autism diagnoses increased in some populations.

Growing rates of vaccine hesitancy — sparked by anti-vaxx conspiracy theorists like Kennedy — have had alarming consequences across the country, including a number of measles outbreaks. As of July 22, there have been over 1,300 measles cases documented in the U.S., the most since the early 1990s and well over the few dozen per year that were seen in the early 2000s, when the virus was considered essentially eradicated.

Around 165 people, most of whom are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown, have required hospitalization, and three people — two children and one adult — have died from the measles this year. For those who simply contract the disease but do not require hospitalization, the virus can still have devastating long-term effects, including lifelong respiratory complications and irreversible brain damage.

Prior to Kennedy’s signature on the CDC panel’s recommendation, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) voiced concern with the proposal, noting that “banning vaccine ingredients without solid scientific reasons sets a dangerous precedent and ultimately makes children less safe.”

“Numerous studies conducted over many years in multiple countries have confirmed that thimerosal is safe,” the AAP added. “Banning vaccine ingredients without cause increases the perceived risk of vaccines and fuels vaccine hesitancy.”