A longitudinal cohort study of the relationship between Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccination and specific delays in development in the United States: Assessment of attributable risk and lifetime care costs.

Author: Geier DA, Kern JK, Hooker BS, King PG, Sykes LK, Geier MR

Source:

Year: 2015

Comment:

The researchers conclude, "As a consequence, while routine childhood vaccination is an important public health tool to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with infectious diseases, the results of the present study raise fundamental and potentially alarming questions about the adverse health and economic impacts of recommendations to routinely administer Thimerosal-containing childhood vaccines to infants worldwide."

Abstract / Excerpt:

“Epidemiological evidence suggests a link between mercury (Hg) exposure from Thimerosal-containing vaccines and specific delays in development. A hypothesis-testing longitudinal cohort study (n=49,835) using medical records in the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) was undertaken to evaluate the relationship between exposure to Hg from Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccines (T-HBVs) administered at specific intervals in the first 6 months of life and specific delays in development [International Classification of Disease, 9th revision (ICD-9): 315.xx] among children born between 1991 and 1994 and continuously enrolled from birth for at least 5.81years. Infants receiving increased Hg doses from T-HBVs administered within the first month, the first 2months, and the first 6 months of life were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with specific delays in development than infants receiving no Hg doses from T-HBVs. During the decade in which T-HBVs were routinely recommended and administered to US infants (1991-2001), an estimated 0.5-1million additional US children were diagnosed with specific delays in development as a consequence of 25 μg or 37.5 μg organic Hg from T-HBVs administered within the first 6 months of life. The resulting lifetime costs to the United States may exceed $1 trillion.

 

Citation:

Geier DA, Kern JK, Hooker BS, King PG, Sykes LK, Geier MR.  A longitudinal cohort study of the relationship between Thimerosal-containing hepatitis B vaccination and specific delays in development in the United States: Assessment of attributable risk and lifetime care costs.  Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health. 2015. pii: S2210-6006(15)00064-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jegh.2015.06.002. [Epub ahead of print].