http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/17/health/experts-say-thimerosal-ban-would-imperil-global-health-efforts.html?ref=world&_r=1&
Doctors and public health experts warns the journal Pediatrics that banning thimerosal, a mercury compound used as a preservative in vaccines, would devastate public health efforts in developing countries. Representatives from around the world will meet in Geneva next month to prepare a global treaty to reduce health hazards by banning certain products and processes that release mercury into the environment. However, this includes the ban of thimerosal, which has been used since the 1930s to prevent bacterial and fungal contamination. The ethyl-mercury compound is critical for vaccine use in the developing world, where multidose vials are a mainstay. As the result of banning it, it would require switching to single-dose vials for vaccines, which would cost more and require new networks of cold storage facilities and additional capacity for waste disposal. Millions of people, in low- and middle-income countries, will be significantly restricted to the access to lifesaving vaccines for years.
I believe that they should not restrict the use of something this important to our developing countries, especially when we do not have a satisfactory solution to the problem in the first place. According to this article, there is no proof that thimerosal is dangerous, therefore there is no problem in using it in the first place. We have a responsibility to help those in need, at least untill they can get a hold of themselves.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I completely agree, if they haven't been able to prove anything about it being dangerous. There really is no reason to restrict from using something that helps people, that is the purpose of doctors to help people. If there revving everybody up about something that hasn't even been proven dangerous then they're just causing panic and confusion that helps nobody.
ReplyDeleteThe use of mercury for any purpose simply raises the risk of mercury poison, which is very harmful and potentially fatal. However, there are certain amounts of mercury that the body can filter out of the blood without causing any damage. The only argument against the use of mercurial preservatives in vaccines would be if those preservatives were administering harmful amounts of mercury to patients, which studies so far show is not true.
ReplyDeleteMathematically, even with the risk of mercury poisoning, if the vaccine saves more lives than it takes, it is helpful to have. The banning of this preservative would lead to many undeveloped countries not having options for all of their citizens to keep themselves safe from disease. This could have potentially catastrophic results.