The influential committee responsible for shaping U.S. vaccine policy, now operating under the leadership of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., recently recommended phasing out flu vaccines containing trace amounts of the preservative thimerosal. This move has ignited controversy, as the fears linking thimerosal to harm have been scientifically disproven.
The discussion around thimerosal, a form of mercury used in some multi-dose vaccine vials for sterilization, dominated a significant portion of a recent public meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This committee provides guidance to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the U.S. vaccine schedule for both children and adults.
The meeting garnered unusual attention following RFK Jr.’s controversial decision weeks prior to replace the entire existing committee of experts with his own hand-picked members. The overhauled panel included individuals known for making inaccurate claims about vaccine safety. While ACIP typically has 17 voting members, Kennedy’s new committee began with only seven.
Despite a “preponderance of evidence” confirming thimerosal’s safety and the fact that manufacturers voluntarily removed it from childhood vaccines years ago (with no vaccines on the current pediatric schedule containing it), the newly appointed committee voted 5-2 in three separate instances. These votes recommended that children, pregnant women, and all adults receive single-dose flu immunizations that are thimerosal-free. Critics suggest these votes could effectively ban the remaining use of the preservative.
Dr. Cody Meissner, a pediatrics professor at Dartmouth College and the sole ACIP member who voted against these thimerosal recommendations, voiced strong dissent. He argued that focusing on thimerosal is misplaced, stating, “The risk from influenza is so much greater than the non-existent, as far as we know, risk from thimerosal.” Dr. Meissner reiterated, “There is no scientific evidence that thimerosal has caused a problem.”
His comments came after a presentation advocating for the removal of the preservative by Lyn Redwood, a nurse and former president of Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaccine advocacy group founded by RFK Jr. Redwood referred to thimerosal as a “known neurotoxin,” framing its removal as a positive step for public health.
Adding to the controversy, a CDC document intended for the meeting detailing peer-reviewed literature showing “no association between prenatal exposure to thimerosal-containing vaccinations and autism spectrum disorder in children” was reportedly removed without explanation before the meeting. ACIP member Dr. Robert Malone indicated his understanding was that the document lacked “authorization by the Office of the Secretary,” suggesting involvement from RFK Jr.’s level in its removal.
Committee members also questioned CDC analyses, despite staff explanations.
Prominent medical organizations have expressed alarm regarding the meeting’s tone and focus on disproven safety concerns. Dr. Sean O’Leary, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Infectious Diseases, viewed the discussion as an “orchestrated effort to sow distrust in immunizations and the vaccine approval process.”
The recommendations from the ACIP meeting typically require sign-off from the CDC director. However, with that position currently vacant, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will hold the authority to approve these controversial recommendations, giving him direct control over their implementation.
