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Policy

No Link Between Thimerosal, Autism

by Britt E. Erickson
March 22, 2010 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 88, Issue 12

There is no link between vaccines with thimerosal, the mercury-containing preservative, and autism, ruled a federal vaccine court in three separate cases on March 12. The decision comes 13 months after the same court ruled that a combination of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine and thimerosal does not cause autism. The rulings are likely to put an end to thousands of cases in which parents of autistic children are seeking compensation from the federal government because they believe that vaccines caused their children’s autism. The three test cases were chosen because they were considered the strongest, offering little hope for other parents making the same claim that thimerosal causes autism. Antivaccine groups were disappointed with the decision, saying the court is protecting the vaccine program at the expense of children’s health. Defenders of vaccines, including the Department of Health & Human Services, welcomed the rulings as further evidence that the benefits of routine childhood vaccines outweigh the risks. The three cases are likely to be appealed in federal court, but many observers predict that they will be upheld.

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