The War of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Against vaccines gained another victory. External advisory panel recently reassembled by RFK Jr. voted today to recommend against people using vaccines containing Timerosal, once a frequent ingredient, which anti-vaccine advocates have incorrectly blamed autism and other health problems.
The Advisory Committee on Immunizing Practices met this week to issue several vaccines recommendations. In a majority vote, the ACIP recommended against children, pregnant people, and adults receiving certain influenza vaccines with Timerosal, despite decades of data showing no harm. The decision is the strongest indicator, however, that the country’s public health has been kidnapped by anti-wax fans.
The ACIP is a panel of external experts organized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Their recommendations greatly influence which vaccines are routinely given to the public. For example, states often order children to receive vaccines universally recommended by the ACIP, such as the trick, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, before they can enter a public school.
RFK Jr., who has a long history of spreading vaccine-related misinformation, has been involved in stacking the deck against vaccines in several ways, including the ACIP. At the beginning of June, he On one side shot All 17 members of the ACIP. He then quickly, without a public review, regained the panel with new appointments, some of whom have misrepresented the science of vaccine security or have financially benefited from certification against vaccines manufacturers.
The new ACIP panel met for the first time on Wednesday and Thursday. Its members have passed some uncontrolled voices, such as recommending the routine use of Clesrovimab, a newly approved ancient treatment, to prevent severe respiratory sincite virus infection in babies not protected by maternal vaccines. And it continued to recommend an annual seasonal flu for Americans aged six months and more without contraindications.
But the ACIP also was given the task of rexamini a long debated speech from anti-vaccine bidders on the alleged health risks of Thimerosal in flu vaccines. Lyn Redwood, former president of the anti-vaccine group founded by RFK Jr., a children’s defense of children, gave a presentation to the ACIP on Thursday morning blaming Timerosal for neurological issues.
Timerosal is a conservative based on mercury once added to many vaccines in the United States in the late 1990s, it became Bogeyman of the anti-vaccine movement, which argued that it is a possible culprit behind the alleged connection between higher rates of autism and vaccines. In 1999, in abundance of prevention, health agencies and some pediatric groups pushed for removal of Timerosal from children’s vaccines. These days, in the United States, it is mainly used in multi-dose formulations of the influenza vaccine, which is the ACIP panel has been asked to review.
But the A vast majority of studies Since then it has failed to find any solid evidence that Timerosal in vaccines causes any health problems, even less about autism. This week, before the ACIP meeting, CDC -Scientists even issued A report that supported this conclusion and outlined the methodical flaws of the few studies contrary to it. But the document was soon taken away from the CDC website, reportedly because it did not go through the “appropriate process to be posted”, according to the HHS. Meanwhile, Redwood’s original ACIP presentation appeared Reference a study that does not exist – not the first time Something similar has happened lately (The presentation was later reloaded without the false quote).
None of this stopped Redwood to give the ACIP on Thursday, which ignored the scientific consent of Timerosal. Kennedy also now appointed Redwood, a retired registered nurse, to work in the CDC Vaccine Security Office. And despite the misdeeds of some ACIP members, most agreed to recommend against the use of Timerosal-containing influenza vaccines.
The recommendation will hopefully have little practical effect, as most influenza vaccines are a single dose. Other available ingredients could replace its conservative effects if manufacturers of vaccines are so desired. But the decision frustrates, considering the complete lack of evidence behind it, and predicting.
RFK’s honoring of the ACIP seems to be serving as expected in accelerating the voice of the anti-vaccination movement and their senseless ideas. Today it is Timerosal. Tomorrow may be many of the most important vaccines we trust.
