A thimerosal resource guide

Salon's syllabus of source documents, related articles and links to advocacy organizations.

By Compiled by Brendan DeMelle and Page Rockwell

Source documents

Transcripts (full file is 11.8 MB) and a shorter transcript excerpt from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s conference on thimerosal at the Simpsonwood conference center in Norcross, Ga.

E-mails from within the CDC that include discussion of thimerosal studies.

Letter from former CDC epidemiologist Thomas Verstraeten to the journal Pediatrics regarding the CDC’s studies of a possible correlation between thimerosal and neurological disorders.

Transcripts of congressional committee hearings on thimerosal.

Memo from major vaccine manufacturer Merck regarding thimerosal’s use in vaccines.

Statement from the World Health Organization regarding the use of thimerosal-containing vaccines.

Recommendation by the Institute of Medicine’s Immunization Safety Review Committee, dated October 1, 2001, that “full consideration be given by appropriate professional societies and government agencies to removing thimerosal from vaccines administered to infants, children, or pregnant women in the United States.”

Report by the Institute of Medicine, dated May 17, 2004, rejecting a causal link between thimerosal and autism.

Analyses of vaccine safety data by Dr. Mark Geier and David Geier.

Related articles

“The Age of Autism” (series), by Dan Olmsted (United Press International, January-June 2005)

“Autism in a Needle?” by Annette Fuentes (In These Times, Nov. 11, 2003)

“Autism, Vaccine Link Considered,” by Mark Benjamin (United Press International, May 2003)

“Evidence of Harm,” by David Kirby (St. Martin’s Press, April 2005)

“Missing the Mercury Menace,” by Neil Munro (National Journal, Jan. 3, 2004)

Mothering magazine’s collection of articles, interactive features and reports

“The Rise Against Mercury,” by Sarah Bridges (SEED, Spring 2004)

“Toxic Tipping Point,” by Andrea Rock (Mother Jones, March/April 2004)

“Upping the Autism Ante,” by Neil Munro (National Journal, Jan. 3, 2004)

“The Vaccine Conflict,” by Mark Benjamin (Washington Free Press, July 2003)

“Vaccines May Fuel Autism Epidemic,” by Kelly Patricia O’Meara (Insight on the News, June 9, 2003)

Advocacy organizations

The Autism Society of America was founded in 1965 by Bernard Rimland, Ph.D. Its mission is to promote lifelong access and opportunity for all individuals within the autism spectrum, and their families, to be fully participating, included members of their community.

NoMercury.org was founded by the parents of a child diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome after repeated exposure to thimerosal. Its aim is to educate policymakers, physicians and the public about the dangers associated with the use of thimerosal in childhood vaccines. The site features peer-reviewed articles and government documents on clinical and toxicological evidence and the political and financial aspects of public health policymaking.