So, I've been part of a list for a bit (several) this one is FEAT WA, there is also an incredibly active Autism Speaks FB page and they are all over the place with opinions about the Thimerosal/Vaccine link. It is in response, mainly, to this:
http://www.kvue.com/news/health/kids-doctor/113127834.html
I haven't been on the bandwagon that immunizations cause Autism - mostly because I can't see a specific link. I also know that there is mercury in fish, water, high-fructose corn syrup - environmental or added, it's there. There is such a thing as mercury poisoning, and it's a hideous thing, but that is not what the argument for vaccine related autism comes from. The fact sheet, "What's in a Vaccine, Anyway?" has in the past highlighted Thimerosal - here's a link to a major example: http://www.korenpublications.com/kp/category/vaccination-patient-handouts
and http://www.detoxmychild.org/what's_in_vaccines.htm
I hate to say that these folks have not done very recent fact checks, because I'd have to back that up and don't want to search around, but if you look at the CDC they actually do release a lot of information about these things: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/additives.htm - same ingredients, different outlooks.
Of course, there are the conspiracy theories that assume since these are made by pharmaceutical companies, you don't really get to have all the information about why they are bad for you and how they are just another trick to make money. But remember - the people who make these discoveries and immunizations are usually in it for public health. As was the guy who was looking at why they can be bad for you. Another link - http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2008/r080821.htm leading you to information about the recent measles outbreak.
I prefer to vaccinate my child as I was vaccinated and my mom was over losing him to a preventable illness. That is also why Unicef and the World Health Organization are trying so hard to immunize kids (and clean their drinking water)
Plus, when you want to get to Aluminum and Mercury and heavy metals - you can test your kid for mercury poisoning, by the way - you should remember that these things are in the rocks in our environment, and water picks it all up and depending on where you live, you are exposed to amounts of it all over the place. Particularly mercury.
Ho Hum... heard very interesting things on NPR about replacing Chlorine in water systems with Chloramine. Chlorine creates byproducts that can cause cancer. We should all keep in mind that using Chlorine to purify water was put into place to protect us from Cholera outbreaks and waterborne illness. Chloramine was not shown to initially have as many carcinogenic byproducts, but recently it's been shown to create Nitramines (reportedly 1,000 times as carcinogenic than the alternative byproducts of Chlorine). Somehow, Chloramines also allow lead to enter the drinking water supply that was not released with the use of Chlorine... interesting. Not a conspiracy, backed up with good old fashioned evidence-based research.
Too much to consider, baby boy is sleeping and I'm signing off.
