Early thimerosal exposure and neuropsychological outcomes

Anti-vaccine activists, Web 2.0, and the postmodern paradigm--an overview of tactics and tropes used online by the anti-vaccination movement

Websites opposing vaccination are prevalent on the Internet. Web 2.0, defined by interaction and user-generated content, has become ubiquitous. Furthermore, a new postmodern paradigm of healthcare has emerged, where power has shifted from doctors to patients, the legitimacy of science is questioned, and expertise is redefined. Together this has created an environment where anti-vaccine activists are able to effectively spread their messages. Evidence shows that individuals turn to the Internet for vaccination advice, and suggests such sources can impact vaccination decisions - therefore it is likely that anti-vaccine websites can influence whether people vaccinate themselves or their children. This overview examines the types of rhetoric individuals may encounter online in order to better understand why the anti-vaccination movement can be convincing, despite lacking scientific support for their claims. Tactics and tropes commonly used to argue against vaccination are described. This includes actions such as skewing science, shifting hypotheses, censoring dissent, and attacking critics; also discussed are frequently made claims such as not being "anti-vaccine" but "pro-safe vaccines", that vaccines are toxic or unnatural, and more. Recognizing disingenuous claims made by the anti-vaccination movement is essential in order to critically evaluate the information and misinformation encountered online.

Thimerosal exposure in early life and neuropsychological outcomes 7-10 years later

OBJECTIVE

The authors used a public use data set to investigate associations between the receipt of thimerosal-containing vaccines and immune globulins early in life and neuropsychological outcomes assessed at 7-10 years.

METHODS

The data were originally created by evaluating 1,047 children ages 7-10 years and their biological mothers. This study developed seven latent neuropsychological factors and regressed them on a comprehensive set of covariates and thimerosal exposure variables.

RESULTS

The authors found no statistically significant associations between thimerosal exposure from vaccines early in life and six of the seven latent constructs. There was a small, but statistically significant association between early thimerosal exposure and the presence of tics in boys.

CONCLUSIONS

This finding should be interpreted with caution due to limitations in the measurement of tics and the limited biological plausibility regarding a causal relationship.

Molecular structures of thimerosal (Merthiolate) and other arylthiolate mercury alkyl compounds

The molecular structure of sodium ethylmercury thiosalicylate (also known as thimerosal and Merthiolate) and related arylthiolate mercury alkyl compounds, namely PhSHgMe and PhSHgEt, have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. (1)H NMR spectroscopic studies indicate that the appearance of the (199)Hg mercury satellites of the ethyl group of thimerosal is highly dependent on the magnetic field and the viscosity of the solvent as a consequence of relaxation due to chemical shift anisotropy.