Thanks for the bit about aluminum. I mentioned it because I recalled some anti-vaxers claiming that it was to blame. Just another move of the goalposts.

Thimerosal has been removed from all pediatric vaccines. The way they did that was make single use vials, which increased the cost of the vaccine.

There has NEVER been any antifreeze in any vaccine (just in case Bo finds that on a random website). That is just someone not knowing the difference in chemical names, like mixing up the terms “methanol” and “ethanol.”

Rene said “Orac insists vaccines are safe while at the same time promoting scares about minute trace amounts of mercury and methylmercury,”

Linky please? Because I don’t think I have ever seen that. I have seen that there have been discussions noting the difference between “ethyl” and “methyl”.

Todd, the MMR has also never contained aluminum. It is in some other vaccines as a salt to help increase the immune response (so less vaccine needs to be used).

Find a vaccine preservative that is not as toxic.

What preservative is currently being used that is proven to be toxic? If you mean thimerosal, it hasn’t been in any of the common vaccines administered in the U.S. (flu vaccine being one exception) since about 2001-2002. And even then, it was removed due in large part to public opinion, rather than any scientific validity…a “better safe than sorry” approach. Furthermore, thimerosal has been used for many, many decades with no major direct injury in the vast majority of the population. There may be some few people that have an allergy to it, but that is rare and, given proper medical supervision, is very unlikely to cause any significant harm.

So, in the U.S., MMR (never had a preservative), DTaP, varicella, Polio, Smallpox, HepB, etc., either contain zero preservatives or trace amounts at most. The “preservatives are toxic” angle, therefore, is an empty argument.

I think the new baby of the anti-vaccine movement, since thimerosal has been ruled out with no change in autism numbers, in addition to the MMR (which has also been shown to be false) and a “too aggressive schedule” argument, is aluminum, since some vaccines contain that metal. The schedule thing is relatively moot, since parents can opt to adjust the schedule as they and their doctors feel fit. The aluminum thing, like thimerosal or MMR, is likely to be disproved, as well.

Heck, I expect that even when a cause (or causes) of autism spectrum disorders is found, there will still be people saying that vaccines are these awful things that are poisoning our children causing all kinds of problems.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying vaccines are 100% safe, but they’re pretty darn close. There will be some people that have bad reactions, but even some of these can be prevented by proper medical training of the doctors and nurses, thorough family history records, and possibly screening. At any rate, the overall risks of abandoning vaccines are far greater than a proper vaccination program.

I was very happy to see this story.