Autism: a novel form of mercury poisoning, 2001
- Vaccine Affect
- Jul 14
- 1 min read
Bernard, Enayati et al
Autism: a novel form of mercury poisoning
Medical Hypotheses
Volume 56, Issue 4, April 2001, Pages 462-471
Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental syndrome marked by difficulties in social interaction and communication, alongside repetitive behaviours, abnormal movements, and sensory sensitivities. Studies (circa 2001) indicate that approximately 1 in 150 children in the United States may have been affected. Mercury exposure is known to cause neurological, motor, immune, and behavioural disruptions that closely resemble many features associated with autism, including similarities in brain structure and chemistry. Thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative previously used in numerous childhood vaccines, has been identified as a significant source of early mercury exposure. A review of scientific literature and governmental data suggests that early exposure to thimerosal may contribute to cases of idiopathic autism in predisposed children, representing a potentially overlooked form of mercury-related neurotoxicity influenced by both genetic and environmental factors.
By late 2001, most routine childhood vaccines in the U.S. were available in thimerosal-free versions or had only trace amounts (<1 µg).
The CDC and FDA began recommending removal of thimerosal from routine infant vaccines in 1999, as a precaution.
Multi-dose flu vaccines were and still are a main source of thimerosal unless single-dose thimerosal-free versions are used.
Thiomersal began being phased out around 2004 in the UK, replaced by thiomersal-free DTaP and Hib vaccines.
