Health news: Autism..

Mercury in flu vaccine is linked to autism
BEEZY MARSH

Millions of flu jabs issued by the Government contain a mercury-based preservative which is being phased out in Europe and the United States amid fears over autism and brain damage.

Four out of seven flu vaccine brands approved for NHS use contain thiomersal, a mercury-containing agent at the centre of safety concerns over its effect on brain function, particularly in children.

Twelve million vulnerable people, including pensioners and children with asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart and kidney problems, have been given flu jabs this winter.

A spokesman for the Department of Health said that medical advisers to the Government were satisfied there is no risk to adults from thiomersal and only a ' hypothetical risk' to children.

'Following recommendations both U.S. and European manufacturers are actively developing research programmes to eliminate, substitute or reduce thiomersal in vaccines,' he said.

' They have not recommended withdrawing any vaccines currently in use. This is purely a precaution.

'There is no convincing evidence of harm to anyone, including infants and pregnant women, caused by small amounts of thiomersal in flu vaccines, and the benefits of flu vaccine outweigh any hypothetical risks posed by thiomersal.'

But Jackie Fletcher of the campaign group JABS, which represents families who claim their children have been damaged by vaccines, said: 'The jury may still be out on the links between mercury in vaccines and brain damage, but surely the Government should err on the side of caution? Thiomersal-free flu jabs are available and people, particularly children, should be offered these.'

Four flu jab brands contain thiomersal, which acts as a preservative to prevent contamination, the Department of Health said yesterday.
They include Fluvirin, manufactured by Liverpool- based Evans Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Powderject Pharmaceuticals, owned by Labour donor Dr Paul Drayson.

The other brands containing thiomersal are Fluarix by GlaxoSmithKline, Influvac by Solvay Health Care and Agrippal by Wyeth.

Mercury-free flu jab brands available on the NHS are Begrivac from Wyeth, Inflexal V distributed by Masta, and Inactivated influenza split virion BP, manufactured by Aventis Pasteur.

In 2001 the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products advised doctors to use only vaccines without thiomersal for toddlers and infants, who are thought to be more likely to suffer harm from exposure to mercury.

This followed a 1999 announcement by the U.S. Public Health Service and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) that thiomersal should be reduced or eliminated in vaccines as a precaution.

A study by the American Institute of Medicine concluded that a link between thiomersal in vaccines and neuro- developmental disorders --including autism - was 'biologically plausible'.

In a related U.S. study, researchers found a 'statistically significant' association between thiomersal in vaccines and children with problems such as attention deficit disorder and speech and language learning delays.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-153722/Mercury-flu-vaccine-linked-autism.html#ixzz1pw9OckED