Debating Vaccine Safety: A Nurse's Role in CDC Meeting

A nurse practitioner with a background in pediatrics and family medicine is set to discuss thimerosal in flu vaccines at a meeting of new CDC vaccine advisers. Lyn Redwood, former president of the anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense, will present on this topic, raising eyebrows among public health experts. Thimerosal, a preservative once commonly used in vaccines, has been largely phased out due to mercury concerns. Despite studies showing no link between thimerosal and neurodevelopmental issues like autism, some groups continue to question its safety. Redwood's son was diagnosed with autism, and she has since become a vocal advocate for investigating the potential link between vaccines and autism. The upcoming meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will include a vote on thimerosal in flu vaccines. This has sparked concern, as two of the new ACIP members have testified against vaccine makers in the past, and a third claims, without evidence, that COVID-19 vaccines have caused deaths in young people. Most flu vaccines for children now come in single-dose vials or pre-filled syringes, which do not contain thimerosal. However, some multi-dose vials, accounting for about 4% of flu vaccines in the US, still do. Experts are puzzled by the inclusion of this topic on the ACIP agenda, as many pediatric practices no longer use multi-dose flu vaccines.

Redwood's presentation is unusual, as presenters typically come from ACIP working groups with months of research on a topic. The vote on thimerosal was added days ago, and it's unclear what the discussion and vote will entail. Redwood declined to comment on her upcoming presentation. Redwood has a history of advocating for vaccine safety, particularly regarding thimerosal and its potential link to autism. She has coauthored papers and testified before Congress on the issue. Children’s Health Defense, the group she formerly led, recently held an event called "the Autism Cover-Up, " alleging a cover-up by the CDC and other agencies of a link between vaccines and autism. The CDC maintains that data from multiple studies show no evidence of harm from the low doses of thimerosal in vaccines. The use of thimerosal in vaccines has declined significantly since the FDA asked manufacturers to remove it in 1999. The FDA now states that all vaccines routinely recommended for children 6 years of age and younger in the US are available in formulations that do not contain thimerosal.

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