In last week’s Independent, due to a publishing error, only the second half of my letter about the flu vaccine was published. The paper has encouraged me to summarize the first part of the letter in the interest of clarity. The main points are as follows:
The standard influenza vaccine from a multi-dose vial contains a mercury-based preservative known as thimerosal. Each dose contains up to 25 mcg of mercury, per the FDA. The standard vaccine is still routinely given to infants, children, pregnant women and the elderly. The FDA, while attempting to reduce or eliminate thimerosal in all vaccines, states that “the amount of preservative-free vaccine that is available based on current manufacturing capacity is well below the number of doses needed.” It is more costly to manufacture the mercury-reduced vaccine.
These supply and manufacturing issues have been known about for years, and only public demand will prompt a change in policy where increased manufacturing costs are involved. Infants, children and pregnant women (as well as the elderly) deserve a safer vaccine. Ask your doctor about this if you are concerned.
David Floyd
Wakefield
Via e-mail
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