Re: Re: Suggested ban on mercury could threaten vaccines

[Guest guest]

Quality control. Ha. I remember reading an expose from eons ago (back in, I believe, the 80's--pre-internet) about testing for potency in tetanus vaccines. They found something like up to six times the amount of toxin in some vaccines within batches. This was in the Sacramento Bee. I have a copy somewhere in the house.

Winnie Suggested ban on mercury could > threaten vaccines> > Vaccinations > > > > > > > > The Associated Press> > > > > > Date: Friday Oct. 21, 2011 9:47 AM ET> > > > > > LONDON — Scientists are warning officials negotiating a > global > > > treaty on mercury that banning the deadly chemical > completely > > > would be dangerous for public health because of the > chemical's > > > use in vaccines. > > > > > > The ban option is one of several proposals on the table for > a > > > meeting later this month in Nairobi, but a final treaty > isn't > > > expected until 2013. > > > > > > According to the World Health Organization, mercury is one > of > > > the top 10 chemicals of public health concern and is highly > > > toxic. Most of the worry is centred on mercury emissions > from > > > burning coal, gold mining and people eating mercury-tainted > > > fish. > > > > > > Mercury in small amounts is also found in many products > > > including light bulbs, batteries and thermometers. WHO > advises > > > such products to be phased out, suggesting for example, that > > > health systems switch to digital thermometers instead. > > > > > > The problem is that a proposed ban might include thiomersal, > a > > > mercury compound used to prevent contamination and extend > the > > > shelf life of vaccines, many scientists say. It is used in > about > > > 300 million shots worldwide, against diseases including flu, > > > tetanus, hepatitis B, diptheria and meningitis. > > > > > > "Not being able to use mercury is not a viable option," said > > > Wood, a WHO vaccines expert. > > > > > > Wood said there isn't a viable alternative to thiomersal at > the > > > moment. If banned, pharmaceuticals would likely have to > switch > > > to preservative-free vaccines, which would complicate the > supply > > > chain and vaccination campaigns in poor countries, since the > > > injections would have a much shorter shelf life. Costs would > > > also spike since manufacturers would need to reconfigure > their > > > factories. > > > > > > Thiomersal has mostly been removed from childhood vaccines > in > > > the U.S. and Canada.> > > > > > In 2009, the United Nations Environment Programme, or UNEP, > > > began working on a legally binding global treaty on mercury. > At > > > the end of October, the third of five meetings to hammer out > a > > > treaty will take place in Nairobi. > > > > > > "The document is a draft at the moment, so some of these > > > proposals have to be taken with a grain of salt," said Tim > > > Kasten, head of the chemicals branch at UNEP. Kasten said > the > > > amount of mercury in vaccines is so minute it doesn't > threaten > > > the environment. He said there could be provisions to allow > > > mercury for certain uses, such as in dental fillings and > > > vaccines. > > > > > > But according to an annex in the draft document, there is > > > currently no "allowable use exemption" for mercury products > in > > > pharmaceutical products, putting vaccines in the same > category > > > as banned mercury-containing paints and pesticides. > > > > > > "That would be a terrible idea," said Offit, an > infectious > > > diseases expert at the University of Pennsylvania. "It would > be > > > another tragic example of us not being able to explain to > the > > > public where the real risk lies." > > > > > > In some European countries, including Norway and Sweden, > > > manufacturers have been encouraged to make thiomersal-free > > > vaccines -- and no other uses of mercury as a medical > > > preservative are allowed. > > > > > > Fears about thiomersal in vaccines were first raised after a > > > flawed medical study in 1998 linked a common childhood > injection > > > to autism. But numerous studies since have found no sign the > > > mercury compound is risky. > > > > > > Experts hope countries won't go overboard in their attempts > to > > > control the substance. > > > > > > "Provided you know the risks and it's handled properly, > there > > > isn't a problem," said , a toxicology expert at > the > > > University of Leeds. "The health of so many millions of > children > > > benefit from vaccines containing mercury that an absolute > ban is > > > ridiculous."> > > > > > > > > Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Health/20111021/mercury-> ban-> > > vaccines-111021/#ixzz1bYwjCMW5> >> > >

[Guest guest]

I have written this about mercury, thimerosal, preservative strength and trace mercury.Mercury free – Maybe!All multidose injections (contain several doses in the same container), must contain a preservative, this is often thimerosal/mercury.

To have preservative properties it must be present in a strength of at least 0.01% in the final product. (Equivalent to 50 microgram thimerosal per 0.5ml dose, or 25 microgram mercury).The reason why multidose preparations contain preservatives is to prevent contamination from the surroundings in connection with withdrawal of several doses.Single dose injections do not normally require preservatives. They are discarded after the one dose is withdrawn.

HOWEVERDuring the manufacturing processes mercury may be used to prevent microbial contamination, even though it will not be present IN PRESERVATIVE STRENGTH in the end product. (This is the case with many single dose injections).The intention is to remove the mercury, but because it is difficult and expensive to remove absolutely all, up to 0.3 microgram per 0.5 ml dose is permitted to remain. This is termed “trace” mercury and is not sufficient to have preservative properties because it is not present in sufficient strength.It is often misleading due to the fact that injections may be termed “preservative free” because they do not contain mercury in a high enough concentration to have preservative properties – but they may nevertheless contain traces of mercury!

Vaccinations From: niadara@...Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:42:32 +0000Subject: Re: Suggested ban on mercury could threaten vaccines

And don't forget that many contain "trace amounts" which don't have to be listed. E.g. the 5 in 1 shot (I think it is Pediarix, I mean the one that is licensed in the USA and contains DTaP-HepB-IPV) used thimerosal in the process which at the end is purified and only leaves a trace amount, but it's there, so that's not free of mercury at all. And who does quality control for every batch to ensure low mercury levels? Is there even such a thing?And I can't believe who chimed in on that article... Good ole Proffit.>> Interesting to see the list of vaccines below which contain mercury when according to the CDC:(http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/thimerosal/):> > "Since 2001, with the exception of some influenza (flu) vaccines, thimerosal in not used as a preservative in routinely recommended childhood vaccines."> > Well, all five of the ones listed below are recommended childhood vaccines (if you consider that the Hib is for preventing meningitis). Maybe it's the wording. Maybe it's not used as a preservative but for some other secret reason. Otherwise, the CDC needs to have a stern talk with the WHO about truth-telling.> > Winnie> > Suggested ban on mercury could threaten vaccines> Vaccinations > > > > > The Associated Press> > > > Date: Friday Oct. 21, 2011 9:47 AM ET> > > > LONDON — Scientists are warning officials negotiating a global > > treaty on mercury that banning the deadly chemical completely > > would be dangerous for public health because of the chemical's > > use in vaccines. > > > > The ban option is one of several proposals on the table for a > > meeting later this month in Nairobi, but a final treaty isn't > > expected until 2013. > > > > According to the World Health Organization, mercury is one of > > the top 10 chemicals of public health concern and is highly > > toxic. Most of the worry is centred on mercury emissions from > > burning coal, gold mining and people eating mercury-tainted > > fish. > > > > Mercury in small amounts is also found in many products > > including light bulbs, batteries and thermometers. WHO advises > > such products to be phased out, suggesting for example, that > > health systems switch to digital thermometers instead. > > > > The problem is that a proposed ban might include thiomersal, a > > mercury compound used to prevent contamination and extend the > > shelf life of vaccines, many scientists say. It is used in about > > 300 million shots worldwide, against diseases including flu, > > tetanus, hepatitis B, diptheria and meningitis. > > > > "Not being able to use mercury is not a viable option," said > > Wood, a WHO vaccines expert. > > > > Wood said there isn't a viable alternative to thiomersal at the > > moment. If banned, pharmaceuticals would likely have to switch > > to preservative-free vaccines, which would complicate the supply > > chain and vaccination campaigns in poor countries, since the > > injections would have a much shorter shelf life. Costs would > > also spike since manufacturers would need to reconfigure their > > factories. > > > > Thiomersal has mostly been removed from childhood vaccines in > > the U.S. and Canada.> > > > In 2009, the United Nations Environment Programme, or UNEP, > > began working on a legally binding global treaty on mercury. At > > the end of October, the third of five meetings to hammer out a > > treaty will take place in Nairobi. > > > > "The document is a draft at the moment, so some of these > > proposals have to be taken with a grain of salt," said Tim > > Kasten, head of the chemicals branch at UNEP. Kasten said the > > amount of mercury in vaccines is so minute it doesn't threaten > > the environment. He said there could be provisions to allow > > mercury for certain uses, such as in dental fillings and > > vaccines. > > > > But according to an annex in the draft document, there is > > currently no "allowable use exemption" for mercury products in > > pharmaceutical products, putting vaccines in the same category > > as banned mercury-containing paints and pesticides. > > > > "That would be a terrible idea," said Offit, an infectious > > diseases expert at the University of Pennsylvania. "It would be > > another tragic example of us not being able to explain to the > > public where the real risk lies." > > > > In some European countries, including Norway and Sweden, > > manufacturers have been encouraged to make thiomersal-free > > vaccines -- and no other uses of mercury as a medical > > preservative are allowed. > > > > Fears about thiomersal in vaccines were first raised after a > > flawed medical study in 1998 linked a common childhood injection > > to autism. But numerous studies since have found no sign the > > mercury compound is risky. > > > > Experts hope countries won't go overboard in their attempts to > > control the substance. > > > > "Provided you know the risks and it's handled properly, there > > isn't a problem," said , a toxicology expert at the > > University of Leeds. "The health of so many millions of children > > benefit from vaccines containing mercury that an absolute ban is > > ridiculous."> > > > > > Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Health/20111021/mercury-ban-> > vaccines-111021/#ixzz1bYwjCMW5>