State bill would limit thimerosal

Two state legislators, including senator-elect Jason Crowell of Cape Girardeau, have prefiled bills that would limit thimerosal.

The bill is identical to HB852, which passed 152-4 in the House last year but did not make it to a vote in the Senate.

The bill prohibits immunizations containing mercury preservatives after Jan. 1, 2007, to children 8 years old or younger. It would allow "trace" amounts of thimerosal, however, as defined by the Food and Drug Administration.

A provision in the bill also allows the restriction to be repealed in the case of an outbreak when a sufficient supply of mercury-free vaccines is not available.

Missouri was among a handful of states to consider a thimerosal bill last year. Only California and Iowa have passed thimerosal legislation.

Thimerosal has been removed from most vaccines, and all the required vaccines. Most flu shots, however, contain more than trace amounts of thimerosal.

"Just look at the potential cost and benefits," Crowell said. "Because there are other [preservative] alternatives out there, let's just not pump our kids full of mercury. I'm not saying you can't have a flu shot for the elderly or at-risk people. And besides that, the flu shot's not mandatory. People will still have that choice."