Autism Rate Plummets After Mercury Removed From Vaccines

By Elizabeth Rhein

Published on March 03, 2006

The study, published in the March 10, 2006 issue of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons, says that the removal of mercury from vaccines has lowered the occurrence of autism by as much as 35 percent in some states.

At the center of the debate is thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative that has been routinely added to many childhood vaccines. Before 1989, children only received three vaccines, thus limiting their exposure to thimerosal; however, by 1999 the Centers for Disease Control had increased the number of recommended vaccines to a total of 22.

The result of this increase in vaccines is the alleged cause of the recent alarming spike in the number of children who develop autism in their early years.

While the link has not yet been completely proven, these early results have been strong enough for many states to act quickly. Iowa and California have already banned thimerosal from vaccines given to babies and children, and 32 more states are considering similar legislation.

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