New study strengthens link between mercury, health problems in children

By Elizabeth Rhein

Published on March 24, 2006

The results of such a study have bolstered the opinion of advocacy groups who maintain that thimerosal is responsible for the remarkable upswing in autism among American children. Although the use of thimerosal has been curtailed in children's vaccines in the United States, it continues to be used as a preservative in certain over-the-counter medications and some flu vaccines.

UC Davis researchers emphasize that their findings are by no means conclusive, and that the effect of thimerosal on mice cannot necessarily be translated to an effect on humans. In the study, thimerosal stopped the mice from creating and stimulating T-cells, which are cells responsible for activating an immune response to disease and foreign bacteria. This result is seen as promising by anti-thimerosal groups, as autistic children tend to have weakened immune systems. However, there is no clear link yet between an impaired immune system and the development of autism.

A new study is being organized by UC Davis researchers to investigate whether thimerosal has the same effect on human immunity. Scientists will gather cells from 350 autistic children who are currently undergoing a related study at UC Davis.

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