The MMR vaccine has never contained mercury and the phrase "The Autism Vaccine" is an example of the lack of sophistication of the American education.
What you are referring to is what is called Thiomersal (INN) (C9H9HgNaO2S), or sodium ethylmercurithiosalicylate, commonly known in the United States as thimerosal, is an organomercury compound (approximately 49% mercury by weight) used as an antiseptic and antifungal agent.
It was invented and patented by Morris Kharasch. Eli Lilly labeled it the trade name Merthiolate. As a preservative in vaccines, immunoglobulin preparations, skin test antigens, antivenins, ophthalmic and nasal products, and tattoo inks, it has been found to be the most cost-effective preservative.
In the later part of the 1990s, the World Health Organization called upon the United States to reign in on its pharmaceutical rule of medical distribution in its usage of Thimerosal as it was demonstrating severe cognitive and psychological disorders in youths who were vaccinated.
The linkage between the vaccination preservative and developmental disorders in children did not present itself until the 1950's. During the preceding decade, only children of privilege were able to be immunized to such diseases as Measles, Mumps, and Rubbela.
There was an such an unbelievable increase in the reporting of developmental disorders in children of European decent, that the discipline and study of psychology took off. Unfortunately, the cause had yet to be identified.
As economic equality began to balance in the United States, so did the rise of developmental disorders in children. According to a U.S. Department of Education report (for which I regret was lost in my old computer) there was reported to be a 38,000% increase in developmental disorders, reported, in children, K-12 over a 10 year period, (1990-2000).
It was during this time that a team of UK researchers embarked on a 10 year longitudinal study of the adverse effects of thimerosal. Even though the results dismissed claims that there was nothing wrong with the preservative, the U.S. continued its usage, (according to the CDC, another document I lost in my old computer) the longitudinal study was still under replication.
The reason why is because thimerosal provided an extended shelf life for vaccinations, particularly those in inner city municipalities. In wealthier cities, the health departments banned its usage and returned the vaccinations to the suppliers. Unfortunately, smaller, or rather, poorer municipalities did not have the oversight resources to monitor or replace this type of preventive social care.
For those cities that were able to return the mercury weight-based vaccinations to the suppliers, the suppliers were able to turn, again, a hefty profit by distributing the vaccinations to poor African and Indian continents, as a public relations campaign.
For those poorer cities that could not afford to monitor or return, the vaccinations remained on the store shelves of the community health departments because the thimerosal extended the life of the vaccinations.
Eventually, the World Health Organization "encouraged" a ban under the Regan Administration. The result was a shift to an "artificial thimerosal" preservative that did not contain the 49.8% weight-based mercury. Basically, it was the same day, different story.
It must be noted that mercury-based vaccinations is not the only source of the suspected cause of autism. Heavy metal fall-out in traditionally high areas of factory industry, such as Detroit, have produced statistics as high as 1 in 10 male children having autism.
In California, there are reports of high levels of autism in resort areas due to the high levels of mercury found in fish, a result of industry.
There are substantiated and unsubstantiated stories that are floating around that pharmaceutical corporations have promulgated the developmental disorders in children for the purposes of profiting off of more anti-psychotropic medications for children. The majority of pharmaceutical corporations fund university research studies that develop and support new diagnoses and benefits of the drugs.
In summation, this is all how the term "Autism Vaccine" has come to be. Damned if you do; damned if you don't.
Beverly Tran
