Federal Bill to Ban Mercury In Vaccines Reintroduced

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Weldon/Maloney Introduce Legislation

Banning Mercury From Vaccines

Legislation Eliminates This Exposure For Children and Pregnant Women

 

(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Reps. Dave Weldon, M.D. (R-FL) and Carolyn Maloney

(D-NY) reintroduced H.R. 881 today eliminating mercury from vaccines. Given

increasing concerns about mercury exposures and the body's ability to

eliminate mercury, this bill will virtually eliminate the mercury exposure

from vaccines.

 

In 1999 the Public Health Service and the American Academy of Pediatrics

recommended removal of thimerosal from child vaccines. Five years later,

thimerosal (50% mercury) remains in childhood vaccines. Last year, the CDC

recommended that children receive the flu vaccine without recommending that

infants and pregnant women get only the mercury-free dose.

 

" Our bipartisan legislation is necessary to stop CDC from rolling back the

clock when it comes to eliminating this mercury exposure to for infants and

pregnant women, " said Rep. Weldon, a physician. " Our bill sets in place a

law giving vaccine manufacturers and public health officials a realistic but

firm timetable for elimination of mercury. "

 

" It's a simple concept: kids shouldn't be given anything that's toxic. The

pharmaceutical industry is starting to get the mercury out, but we need to

know that it's gone without any doubt, " said Maloney.

 

Mercury is a neurotoxin and is harmful to the developing central nervous

system of fetuses and infants. The EPA found that 1-in-6 infants are born

with a blood mercury level above the level considered safe by the EPA.

Furthermore, the Food and Drug Administration and the EPA have warned

pregnant women and young children to limit their consumption of certain fish

in order to reduce mercury exposures.

 

The Legislation:

 

Requires that beginning with the 2006/07 flu season, the flu shots for

children under age three and pregnant women may not contain more than 1

microgram (mcg) of mercury;

Requires that beginning with the 2007/08 flu season, the flu shots for

children under age six and pregnant women may not contain more than 1mcg of

mercury;

Requires by July 1, 2006, all other routinely administered childhood

vaccines, may not contain more than 1mcg of mercury and on Jan 1, 2009, all

pediatric, adolescent and adult vaccines that contain more than 1mcg of

mercury are banned;

Expresses the Sense of the Congress that the CDC should incorporate into its

vaccine promotion messages, a recommendation against administering a

mercury-containing vaccine to pregnant women.