U.S. to burn millions of unused mercury containing swine flu vaccines at a cost of $260M. But, what's the cost to human health?
By Jackie Lombardo
Left over swine flu vaccines are considered hazardous waste. As with all toxic waste, these vaccines must undergo specific treatments before disposal, and health authorities have just announced they are permitting their incineration. However, because these unwanted products contain mercury, SafeMinds questions the wisdom of this decision which allows even more mercury to become airborne.
A 2009 study led by Harvard University and the U.S. Geological Survey predicts mercury levels in the Pacific Ocean will rise by 50 percent within a few decades as man-made emissions of mercury increase. Mercury is a neurotoxin that can alter brain development of fetuses and has been linked with learning problems, autism, and reduced IQ. No amount of mercury in any form is safe.
It was over 10 years ago that SafeMinds first brought a concern over mercury in vaccines and autism to health authorities and demanded a recall of all childhood vaccines containing mercury. The shocking overlap between the manifestations of mercury toxicity and autism along with the fact that the amount of mercury in vaccines exceeded EPA safety guidelines by 100 fold in some infants brought a cross-my-heart promise from vaccine manufacturers and health authorities to stop using mercury. But today in 2010, there is still mercury in vaccines intended for infants, children and pregnant women.
In fact last fall, the Centers for Disease Control recommended children age 5-9 get two doses of mercury-containing swine flu vaccine. If a parent doesn’t ensure the vaccines are mercury-free, a 50 lb child would receive 25 mcg of mercury from each vaccine. According to the EPA, a child that size can handle only a maximum of 2.3 mcg of mercury daily from eating fish.
In addition, it was recommended that young children continue to receive seasonal flu shots which, like swine flu shots, also contain a whopping 25 mcg of mercury each. If that 50lb child also received the recommended seasonal flu shots at the same time as receiving swine flu shots (2 doses of each at two visits), he/she would have received roughly 20 times the EPA limit for ingested methyl-mercury at one doctor's visit, and another 20 times the EPA limit at the second doctor’s visit.
There is still no law against mercury in vaccines. They promised, but that promise made to the American public by vaccine manufacturers and health authorities over 10 years ago has been broken time and time again. Incinerating unwanted mercury-containing products paid for by US taxpayers must stop. Demand mercury free vaccines. Demand mercury-free air.
US to burn millions of swine flu vaccine doses
From: AP July 02, 2010 1:25AM
ABOUT a quarter of the swine flu vaccine produced for the US public has expired - meaning the 40 million doses, worth about $US260 million ($310 million), are being written off as rubbish.
$260M of Swine Flu Vaccine to Be Incinerated
CBS News
Mercury sources, distribution, and bioavailability in the North Pacific Ocean: Insights from data and models
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES, VOL. 23, GB2010, 14 PP., 2009