By Sarah Green
KHI News Service
TOPEKA, Jan.
9 The issue of whether a mercury-based preservative should be allowed in vaccines administered in Kansas is up for legislative review again in 2007.
Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, is a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 1, which is similar to legislation he introduced late last year to remove from vaccines the controversial additive
thimerosal
. Last year”s bill died with no action taken.
Some parents of autistic children cite thimerosal as a cause of their children”s medical conditions. Hensley became a sponsor of the bills after being contacted by Kansas parents concerned about the presence of mercury in vaccines.
“They just want peace of mind, if nothing else,” Hensley said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found no link between thimerosal and autism.
“There is no conclusive evidence that any vaccine or vaccine additive increases the risk of developing autism or any other behavior disorder. Rather, evidence is accumulating of lack of any harm resulting from exposure to vaccine containing thimerosal as a preservative,” the CDC noted on their online fact sheet concerning thimerosal.
Research continues, however, because of the increasing awareness and concern over the issue. And, since 1999, the CDC and Food and Drug Administration have worked to remove the additive from vaccines.
The levels were not considered dangerous, said Dr. Dennis Cooley, a Topeka pediatrician, but steps were taken to reduce the amount received by children given several different vaccines each containing the preservative.
The Kansas legislation is unnecessary, Cooley said.
Only one vaccine given to children the influenza vaccine contains thimerosal, he said. And that”s only present in vaccine stored in multi-dose vials needed in the event of an outbreak or pandemic, Cooley said.
Single-dose vials which are thimerosal-free are also available upon patient request, he said.
“This should be between a physician and their patient whether they want to use this vaccine or not,” he said. “You don”t have to get it.”
The pre-filed bill includes a waiver that allows for patient notification if multi-dose vials are needed for a pandemic or other emergency, Hensley said. And, he said, the bill”s language still might need tweaking.
“This is a work in progress,” he said.
If passed, the bill would phase out all vaccines containing thimerosal administered in Kansas by July 1, 2009.
Sarah Green is a staff writer for KHI News Service, which specializes in coverage of health issues facing Kansans. She can be reached at
sgreen@khi.org
or at 785-233-5443, ext. 118.