Study: Thimerosal not linked to Autism, other development problems

Does the chemical compound, thimerosal ring a bell? It’s commonly used as an antiseptic and antifungal agent and it contains mercury.

After people experienced problems with allergic reactions to contact lens solutions with the preservative you’ll now find some labeled thimerosal-free products.

Researchers have also been searching for a link between the chemical used in vaccines and autism.

The mercury preservative thimerosal was developed and registered under the trade name “merthiolate” in 1929 and has been used as a preservative in vaccines since the 1930s.

Parents and some medical professionals have questioned whether thimerosal might trigger autism and other developmental problems in children.

As a precautionary measure the United States Food and Drug Administration asked vaccine manufacturers to remove the compound from childhood vaccines starting in 1999. Since then many studies have found no connection between thimerosal and autism.

New research reveals that thimerosal is not linked to an increased risk of memory problems, IQ deficits or behavioral issues in children.

Researchers administered neurological and psychological tests to a thousand children between the ages of seven and 10 years old. They found that kids exposed to thimerosal performed nearly the same as children who were not exposed to the preservative.

In fact, children who received thimerosal had slightly better scores on certain measures of attention and fine motor control.

The government has an additional ongoing study that is continuing to explore for a link between autism and thimerosal.