The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it will adopt the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the vaccine schedule, recommendations to remove the mercury-based preservative thimerosal from all influenza vaccines distributed in the United States.

“This move follows a 5-1-1 vote at the ACIP’s June 25-26 meeting at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, where committee members voted that all children 18 years and younger, pregnant women, and adults receive only single-dose influenza vaccines free of mercury,” HHS stated in a release.

“Secretary Kennedy’s signature formally adopts the recommendation into federal health policy, fulfilling a commitment to restore trust with Americans by removing risk while sustaining access to vaccines,” it continued.

“After more than two decades of delay, this action fulfills a long-overdue promise to protect our most vulnerable populations from unnecessary mercury exposure,” HHS Secretary RFK Jr. said.

“Injecting any amount of mercury into children when safe, mercury-free alternatives exist defies common sense and public health responsibility. Today, we put safety first,” he added.

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The effort to remove mercury from childhood vaccines began in 1999 when the U.S. Public Health Service, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and vaccine manufacturers jointly agreed that any potential risk from mercury warranted its removal as soon as possible. This marks the final step to remove mercury from all vaccines given to Americans.

Secretary Kennedy’s newly appointed ACIP members broke with long-standing inaction by voting to remove mercury entirely from all influenza vaccines, fulfilling the 1999 pledge and aligning U.S. policy with that of Europe, which phased out mercury additives years ago.

Vaccine manufacturers have confirmed they have the capacity to replace multi-dose vials containing mercury, ensuring the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program and adult vaccine supplies will remain uninterrupted.

The ACIP, composed of leading medical and public health experts, advises the CDC on vaccine safety, efficacy, and clinical necessity. This historic decision marks a critical step toward enhancing public confidence in vaccines and advancing the nation’s commitment to safer immunization practices.

“With the U.S. now removing mercury from all vaccines, we urge global health authorities to follow this prudent example for the protection of children worldwide,” RFK Jr. added.

Although the majority of currently used influenza vaccines in the United States are thimerosal-free, it has been a controversial topic for decades.

However, the committee recommended Americans still receive an annual flu shot.

Revamped CDC Vaccine Advisory Panel Takes Vote On Flu Shots Containing Thimerosal

"A few moments before, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory committee voted 6-0 to recommend all Americans aged 6 months and older receive an annual influenza vaccine," ABC News noted last month.

Dr. Peter McCullough expressed criticism of the one-size-fits-all recommendation for annual flu vaccines.

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"A long-overdue move on thimerosal still leaves millions subject to annual flu shots that increase flu risk by 27% and non-influenza infections by 340%. New group still missing the mark on safety and efficacy concerns," he said.

The Hill provided further details:

The panel’s vote came after a presentation against thimerosal by Lyn Redwood, the former leader of Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaccine group founded by Kennedy.

Redwood was recently hired by HHS and is listed as an “expert” in the agency’s employee directory. She presented her argument against thimerosal as a private citizen, however, not as a representative of the federal government.

Thimerosal is a preservative that was widely used for decades in a number of biological and drug products, including many vaccines. Removing it fulfills a long sought-after goal for Kennedy and many anti-vaccine activists. In his 2014 book, he wrote thimerosal was “toxic to brain tissue” and likely caused autism.

 

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