The Point is Poison

February 18, 2008

By: Kit Cessna

Regarding the Jan. 31 article "Study doesn't support vaccine, autism link":
In the debate over the safety of vaccinations, the American Academy of Pediatrics states that there is no link between the use of thimerosal and autism. As a weapons of mass destruction instructor for Louisiana State University and the parent of an autistic child, I consider that argument to be completely immaterial to the situation.

By law, all materials deemed hazardous must be described by the manufacturer in a document called a Material Safety Data Sheet or MSDS. Thimerosal has an MSDS. It has been deemed a hazardous material and is described as a poison.

I cannot find any detailed information as to what procedures were followed in order to determine that it was safe to introduce mercury into the body of an infant. There is no more toxic agent on this planet than mercury. If it is so dangerous in the original configuration, how could one of its derivatives not be dangerous at all?

Thimerosal is a hazardous material. That is all the information I need. I do not care whether a link is ever found between thimerosal and autism. It is a poison, and it does not belong in the body of my child.

Source: News & Observer