Experts say vaccine's benefits outweigh potential riskA record 130 million Americans are expected to get a flu shot this season in hopes of ducking the nasty virus, but as the needle pierces the skin more than 80% will also get what some say is a hefty and dangerous dose of mercury.
"I didn't know," said Kate Strzok, a 23-year-old Oak Creek woman, as she walked out of the Piggly Wiggly where she ad just gotten the flu shot. "Interesting that they don't tell you."
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that almost everyone - including pregnant women - get the injection, despite written warnings from the vaccine manufacturers.
Citing an estimated 36,000 deaths a year from the flu and flu-related illness, the mainstream medical community, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Lung Association, says the benefits far exceed any risk from the shot.
Yet a growing number of doctors, scientists and citizen organizations, such as Safe Minds, the Coalition for Mercury-Free Drugs and Moms Against Mercury, say mercury in flu shots has not been proven to be safe and can be linked to neurological disorders and other serious problems. They push for mercury-free shots that are available in limited quantities but that few know about.
Mercury is among the most toxic heavy metals and is known to poison the central nervous system, liver, gastrointestinal tract and other systems in the body.
About 80% of all flu shots distributed in the United States contain a mercury-based preservative called thimerosal. Thimerosal consists of 49.6% ethyl mercury, an anti-bacterial, anti-fungal that allows manufacturers to sell the vaccine in large, multi-dose containers without fear of contamination.
Vaccine manufacturers such as Sanofi Pasteur, MedImmune and Novartis say they're ramping up production of thimerosal-free vaccines but don't have capacity to convert all the flu shots immediately.
"Our ultimate goal is to be entirely (preservative)-free," said Sanofi Pasteur spokeswoman Patricia Tomsky. "But it takes more time and effort to make single doses."
The Wisconsin Department of Health and Human Services said about one third of its supply this flu season will be thimerosal-free. People need to ask for it, if they want it, health officials say.
But many people aren't aware that mercury is in the flu shot.
But many people aren't aware that mercury is in the flu shot.
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Recommendations:
- Read the labels and materials that accompany the flu shot
- Ask for a preservative-free flu shot
- Consult with your physician if you have concerns
- To report an adverse reaction to the flu shot, file a report at Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (vaers.hhs.gov) or call (800) 822-7967.
Fact Box
A typical flu shot contains 25 micrograms - or 50,000 parts per billion - of mercury.
The EPA classifies a liquid with 200 parts per billion of mercury as hazardous waste. The limit for drinking water is 2 parts per billion.
Using the standards set for the kind of mercury in fish, an average 130-pound person getting the flu shot would exceed the daily limit by more than four times. A 22-pound baby would get more than 25 times the amount of mercury considered safe. Doctors are recommending many babies and children get two flu shots this season. - The flu can be especially dangerous for very young children and people 65 and older. Elderly people account for about 90% of all flu-related deaths.
Simply stated: The flu shot saves lives, the CDC says.