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More Flu Shots for Kids

CDC committee votes to expand age range despite risk of injury

February 29, 2008

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A federal advisory panel wants to expand the recommended ages for annual influenza vaccination of children to include all children from 6 months through 18 years of age.

The previous recommendation was for vaccination of children from 6 months to 59 months of age. The expanded recommendation is to take effect as soon as feasible, but no later than the 2009–2010 influenza season.

The recommendation comes from the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP), which functions under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) umbrella. It would increase the number of children recommended for vaccination by approximately 30 million.

Studies have shown that healthy children bear a significant burden from influenza disease and are at increased risk of needing influenza-related medical care. In addition, there is evidence showing that reducing influenza transmission among children has the potential to reduce influenza among their household contacts and within the community.

“This new recommendation should reduce the risk of influenza infections among children of all ages, and their consequent need for medical visits and missed time from school,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

“This new recommendation will help parents understand that all children can benefit from vaccination and further encourages providers to start vaccination of children through age 18 next year,” said Dr. Schuchat.

Vaccine injuries

However, ACIP has been criticized for years by parents of vaccine-injured children for neglecting vaccine safety considerations in favor of keeping vaccination rates high.

An estimated 80% to 90% of this year's flu vaccine supply contained the mercury-based preservative thimerosal, even though the shots can be manufactured in mercury-free formulas. Most flu shots contain 25 micrograms of mercury, an amount considered unsafe for people weighing less than 550 lbs. Mercury is known to accumulate in several target organs including the brain, kidney, liver, and heart.

A growing number of parents and scientists believe that the increased use of mercury-containing vaccines starting in the late 1980's has led to the huge rise in autism and other learning disabilities that now affect one in 6 American children.

"The committee's continued recommendation of mercury-containing vaccines poses unnecessary health risks to the public," said National Autism Association board member and parent Lori McIlwain. "Their logic for promoting flu vaccines in children is so that older citizens will be protected. Yet, children and seniors are both especially vulnerable to injury from toxic metal exposures."

Government agencies including the CDC have long expressed concerns over elevated mercury levels in infants, cautioning pregnant women about seafood consumption because of mercury content. Despite this, ACIP continues to maintain that directly injecting mercury into children is safe.

"This is a dangerous double standard," commented NAA president Wendy Fournier. "We urge parents to ask for mercury-free flu shots if they decide to vaccinate their kids. As a parent, I believe the risk of neurological injury from unnecessary toxic mercury exposure isn't worth taking."

One mercury-free alternative, FluMist, poses different risks. Administered intranasally, the live flu virus can be spread to others through the side effects noted by the manufacturer, runny nose and nasal congestion. FluMist's package insert states that FluMist recipients "should avoid close contact with immunocompromised individuals for at least 21 days."

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