Additives in vaccines
Do vaccines contain harmful additives?
No. Some vaccines contain…
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde may be used early in the manufacturing process
to inactivate some viruses and toxins. Purification removes almost all of the
formaldehyde. Formaldehyde occurs naturally in the human body and helps with
metabolism. There is approximately ten times the amount of formaldehyde in a
baby’s body at any time than there is in a vaccine.
Aluminum
Aluminum salts (aluminum hydroxide, aluminum phosphate, or
potassium aluminum sulfate) are used as adjuvants, substances added to a
vaccine to enhance and strenghten the immune system's response. Adjuvants used
today make it possible to reduce the amount of antigens (parts of weak or dead
viruses or bacteria) in a vaccine. Monitoring of vaccines over seven decades
has proven adjuvants are safe. Aluminum is the most abundant element in the
earth’s crust and is found in air, food and water. Aluminum is present in
breast milk and infant formula in similar amounts as in vaccines.
Mercury
An ethyl mercury derivative call thimerosal is used as a
preservative. No vaccine made in
Canada since March 2001 for routine
use in children contains thimerosal, with the exception of the influenza
vaccine. DTaP, polio and Hib vaccines have not contained this preservative
since 1997-98. The MMR vaccine used in
Canada has never contained
thimerosal.
References:
Canadian Immunization Guide p 3-5
Your Child’s Best Shot p 323-325
Public Health Agency of Canada - Frequently Asked Questions
Immunization Communication Tool for Immunizers. ImmunizeBC 2008
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vaccine
additives
