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US bans vaccine ingredient targeted by anti-vaxxers / Photo: Brendan SMIALOWSKI - AFP/File
NYSE - LSE
US bans vaccine ingredient targeted by anti-vaxxers
The US health department said Wednesday it would end the use of a vaccine ingredient long targeted by conspiracy theorists over debunked claims it causes autism.
Thimerosal, a preservative that prevents bacterial and fungal contamination in multidose vials, has been extensively studied, with authorities including the World Health Organization finding no evidence of harm.
The move follows a vote by a panel of outside experts convened by Kennedy last month that voted to end the use of thimerosal in influenza vaccines for adults, pregnant people and children.
Although the substance is now rarely used in US vaccines, the recommendations by the influential Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices alarmed experts, who said the move has effectively embedded talking points championed by the anti-vaccine movement into national policy.
(T.Brown--TAG)
