Debate Over Link Between Autism and Thimerosal Continues

By Danielle Briones

Published on July 22, 2005

While the controversy over a link between vaccination and autism is over seven years old, the cause has been revitalized by a new book on the subject and an article by Robert Kennedy, Jr. Parents of children with autism have become better organized, and over 4,000 lawsuits have been filed against pharmaceutical companies over the use of thimerosal in vaccines.

Thimerosal, a chemical preservative that contains a form or mercury, is used in some vaccines to keep bacteria and fungi from contaminating the medicine. Opponents argue that the ethyl mercury found in thimerosal can cause or trigger autism in some children. Autism has many of same symptoms as mercury poisoning.

While many high profile medical organizations have dismissed claims that thimerosal is in any way linked to autism, many parents believe it is a cover-up to protect pharmaceutical companies. There are some surprising statistics that seem to correlate an increase in the use of certain vaccines containing thimerosal with a much higher incidence of autism in the American children.

There appear to be inconsistencies in the research on both sides of the issue, however, and this has allowed the controversy to continue unabated. In the meantime, parents of autistic children continue to file lawsuits against the pharmaceutical companies.

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