Merck accused of ignoring mercury dangers

A Los Angeles Times article reported that Merck executives knew of the health threat posed to children, as a company memo from 1991 stated that six-month-old children receiving their shots on schedule would get a mercury dose up to 87 times higher than guidelines for the maximum daily consumption of mercury from fish.

The memo, issued eight years before the FDA acknowledged the overuse of mercury in vaccines, reportedly goes on to discuss safety concerns and even states that the large use of mercury in the company’s vaccines presents a “perception of hazard.”

A number of parent and advocacy groups have been fighting for the removal of mercury in vaccines. However, last month, a senate bill, named S.3, was introduced to prevent state bans on using mercury in vaccines. Those protesting the bill argue that it will impede efforts to uncover even more important documents that could ultimately explain what happened to millions of American children.

Numerous studies, including one by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), have linked the mercury-based preservative, thimerosal, to neurodevelopmental disorders including autism. Some reports cite that the rise in autism and ADHD correlates with the dangerous rise in use of mercury.

Merck & Co has refused to comment on the memo.