HHS Secretary Formally Rescinds Federal Recommendations For Flu Vaccines Containing Thimerosal

The New York Times (7/23, Mandavilli) reports the HHS Secretary “on Tuesday formally rescinded federal recommendations for all flu vaccines containing thimerosal.” The move “will not affect most Americans seeking flu vaccines: Thimerosal is added to multidose vials of flu vaccines to prevent bacteria from growing, but it is not an ingredient of the single-dose vials administered to most people.” According to the Times, this “sign-off does not withdraw vaccines containing thimerosal from the market.” However, “his rescinding the federal recommendation means that such shots may not be available to Americans, because insurance companies are no longer required to cover them.” Reuters (7/23, Satija, Santhosh) reports, “About 5% of flu shots given in the U.S. in the last flu season were multi-dose vials that contained the preservative, which was largely phased out decades ago.” Vaccine makers “have confirmed that they have the capacity to replace multi-dose vials containing the preservative, ensuring that supplies will not be interrupted, HHS said.”