California----Ban on Mercury in Shots Is Passed

[Guest guest]

It doesn't look like it has passed all hurdles--and of course it is very limited in scope---but at least it's in the right direction....

 

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Ban on Mercury in Shots Is PassedLawmakers "basically said no to special interests' profits and yes tochildren's health," said Rick Rollens, aGranite Bay father of an autistic son who lobbied for the bill. "We aregoing to work very diligently to convincethe governor that this is in the best interest of children and pregnantwomen in California to sign this importantmeasure."http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-vaccineaug27,1,4049440.story?coll=la-headlines-businessBan on Mercury in Shots Is PassedBy Myron LevinTimes Staff WriterAugust 27, 2004The state Assembly on Thursday voted to eliminate a mercury-basedpreservative from vaccines given to infants andpregnant women and sent the

measure to the governor's office, where itsfate is uncertain.The vote was 48 to 21 in favor of the bill, which has drawn nationwideattention amid bitter conflict over possiblerisks from the chemical thimerosal, which is about half ethyl mercury.Earlier this week, the measure passed thestate Senate, 22 to 13, despite opposition from leading vaccine makerAventis Pasteur Inc.Lawmakers "basically said no to special interests' profits and yes tochildren's health," said Rick Rollens, aGranite Bay father of an autistic son who lobbied for the bill. "We aregoing to work very diligently to convincethe governor that this is in the best interest of children and pregnantwomen in California to sign this importantmeasure."Aventis Pasteur said in a prepared statement that it was disappointedwith the vote but optimistic that Gov. ArnoldSchwarzenegger "will recognize the importance of maintaining publicconfidence in

vaccines and will not sign thislegislation."A spokesman for the governor said Schwarzenegger had not taken aposition on the bill, which is opposed by somemembers of his administration.During the 1990s, millions of infants and toddlers were exposed tomercury above federal guidelines because of arising number of routine shots in which thimerosal was a commoningredient used to prevent bacterial contamination.Since 1999, the chemical has been reduced to trace levels in mostpediatric vaccines. But more than 4,000 claimshave been filed by parents of children with autism and other disordersasserting that their kids suffered braindamage from exposure to mercury-containing vaccines.Vaccine makers and many health officials say there is no proof of acausal link between thimerosal and autism.The bill would bar pregnant women and children under 3 years old fromgetting vaccines with more than trace

levelsof thimerosal after July 2006.Aventis, the lone producer of flu vaccine for children 6 months through23 months old, had warned that the bill"would curtail the access of Californians to needed vaccine" - a claimdenounced by supporters as a scare tactic.