# mercury in vaccines **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 29, 2000, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mercury-in-vaccines/24070 "2000-06-29T20:12:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phobos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Phobos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phobos)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2000, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mercury-in-vaccines/24070/1 "2000-06-29T20:12:02Z")
What’s the SD on this? From what I hear, some vaccines (e.g., hepatitis vaccine given to infants) contain a mercury-based preservative. Considering how toxic mercury is, why in the world would this be used in a vaccine…particularly one for infants?!? I’m sure the response from the medical community is that this stuff has been used on millions of people without significant ill effects, or that the risk from mercury outweighs the risk of the disease being prevented. But I have not seen any actual data on this. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2000, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mercury-in-vaccines/24070/2 "2000-06-29T20:16:29Z")
Do you have any links that you can post regarding this? ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2000, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mercury-in-vaccines/24070/3 "2000-06-29T20:21:19Z")
Phobos, the answer is indeed a ‘Yes’. I don’t have links for you because I don’t wish to get into the fray(check out the malay in GD), but do a search for “vaccine+mercury” or “vaccine+delivery systems” and I’m sure you will turn something up. Also try perusing [http://www.cdc.gov](http://www.cdc.gov) or [http://www.fda.gov](http://www.fda.gov) . Like I said above in the suggested search terms, Mercury is a great delivery system for materials in the body because of it’s density and other chemical properties. -Sam ---
**Author:** ![Phobos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Phobos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phobos)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2000, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mercury-in-vaccines/24070/4 "2000-06-29T20:32:55Z")
thanks for the links. here’s a quote from the CDC site… Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative that has been used as an additive to biologics and vaccines since the 1930s because it is effective in preventing bacterial and fungal contamination, particularly in open multidose containers. ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2000, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mercury-in-vaccines/24070/5 "2000-06-29T20:35:24Z")
Woops! It’s a preservative, not a delivery system. Sorry bout that, it was more of a WAG than anything else. -Sam ---
**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2000, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mercury-in-vaccines/24070/6 "2000-06-29T23:04:18Z")
No, it’s a delivery system as well. Because it’s a heavy metal in injectable form, it tends to go right to the seat of the problem. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2000, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mercury-in-vaccines/24070/7 "2000-06-30T02:47:35Z")
> [@](#): > > Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative that has been used as an additive to biologics and vaccines since the 1930s because it is effective in preventing bacterial and fungal contamination, particularly in open multidose containers. Thimerosal’s also been long-used as a preservative for contact lens saline. (The variety packaged in plastic squeeze bottles.) The saline in aerosol cans is unpreserved, but remains sterile in the can. Far as I know, thimerosal isn’t used any more, having been replaced by things like polyaminopropyl biguanide, polyhexamethylene biguanide and edetate disodium. A quick check in my bathroom shows that contact lens solution makers are quite proud of not using thimerosal, proclaiming it in bold print. With good reason. Thimerosal was irritating to some eyes, which is why it’s fallen out of favor. ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2000, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mercury-in-vaccines/24070/8 "2000-06-30T09:09:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > No, it’s a delivery system as well. Because it’s a heavy metal in injectable form, it tends to go right to the seat of the problem. > \*\* \ See what I get for doubting myself? -Sam