Every year at around this time there is a debate on the neuro boards about whether or not to get the flu vaccine.

I have one point I want to make about it. SOME of the flu vaccine is made with thimerisol, which contains mercury. Mercury is a neurotoxin.

Not all flu vaccine has mercury. I recommend that anyone with sensitive nerves be sure to check the manufacturer of the vaccine. Here's what the CDC says on their website:

Today, all routinely recommended licensed pediatric vaccines that are currently being manufactured for the U.S. market, with the exception of influenza vaccine, contain no thimerosal or only trace amounts. Thimerosal preservative-free influenza vaccines are available, but in limited quantities. The total amount of inactivated influenza vaccine available without thimerosal as a preservative will continue to increase as manufacturing capabilities are expanded.

Does the influenza vaccine contain thimerosal?
Yes, the majority of influenza vaccines distributed in the United States currently contain thimerosal as a preservative. However, some contain only trace amounts of thimerosal and are considered by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be preservative-free. Manufacturers of preservative-free flu vaccine use thimerosal early in the manufacturing process. The thimerosal gets diluted as the vaccine goes through the steps in processing. By the end of the manufacturing process there is not enough thimerosal left in the vaccine to act as a preservative and the vaccine is labeled ‘preservative-free'.

Updated Sep 26, 2006
Is influenza vaccine that does not contain thimerosal as a preservative available this flu season (2006-07)?
At the current time, sanofi pasteur is projecting that 8 million to 9 million doses of thimerosal-free vaccine in pre-filled syringes or vials will be produced for the 2006-07 influenza season. The majority of this vaccine will be in 0.25 mL syringes (indicated for ages 6-35 months) with the remainder in 0.5 mL vials or syringes (indicated for ages 36 months and older). In addition, GlaxoSmithKline’s influenza vaccine for adults 18 years of age and older is preservative-free vaccine and Novartis (formerly Chiron) has a preservative-free preparation for persons 4 years of age and older. Also, the nasal-spray influenza vaccine (sold commercially as FluMist®) does not contain any thimerosal and can be given to healthy people 5 to 49 years of age who are not pregnant.

From USA Today and other sites:

There are preservative-free flu vaccines, but Aventis Pasteur, the only maker of flu vaccine licensed for children under 4, expects to produce only 3˝ million doses of it in half-dose syringes suitable for very young children. Whether that will be enough depends on demand.

And from the FDA:

Available Vaccines

Product: Fluarix®
Manufacturer: GlaxoSmithKline
Year Licensed: 2005

Product: FluMist®
Manufacturer: MedImmune Vaccines
Year Licensed: 2003

Product: Fluvirin®
Manufacturer: Chiron Corporation
Year Licensed: 1988

Product: Fluzone®
Manufacturer: Aventis Pasteur
Year Licensed: 1978

FluMist® does not contain thimerosal. Fluarix® does not contain thimerosal preservative. Both Fluvirin® and Fluzone® are available with reduced thimerosal formulation. For information on the thimerosal content in these vaccines, see the Food and Drug Administration at www.fda.gov/cber/vaccine/thimerosal.htm#t3 or Johns Hopkins University's Institute for Vaccine Safety at
www.vaccinesafety.edu/thi-table.htm

There are many warnings/disadvantages and worries with this form:

http://www.vaccinetruth.org/new_flu_mist.htm

So basically the intranasal vaccines are using live virus that then gets sneezed out onto people? Is that what they are saying?

I am bumping this up r for all the new people that have come on board in the past year.

Liza Jane/Mrs. D are there newer updates to any of this information that you might be aware of?

I tried to find a non-mercury flu vaccine last year and there was none in my area I found, so I did not get the shot (and I was fine).

the panic, paranoia and everything else the drug companies create with
their manufacturing errors, and small lots.... just totally alienates me.

Who needs to be vaccinated against a strain that will not come this year?
This is what they do... use old strains.

The media has convinced people to get these shots. The benefits are minimal, if any. The vaccine stirs up your immune system, so anything you get exposed to in the meantime has less white cells available to it since it is busy with the vaccine.
So many people get sick right after the shot, with something ELSE. I have had just about everyone tell me this!

Then there are the bad lots.... Parke Davis, did 4 million of these. And so has that one company in England last year. Sorry, I'll pass.

Keep up your immune system naturally and you will be in far better shape.

IVIG? NO FLU SHOTS! Not until 6 months after infusions are stopped..
The only TIME I'd ever had a flu shot was after my ONSET and before infusions. I've still ONE BIG BAD KNOT in my arm from that THING! Soo, in my case, shots [unless as a 'mere' child' count] aren't in my issue picture.
Tho I have to say that my DH got his, so, should I get sick I think I'll be tended to a little bit? -I mean, last year w/my broken knee he DID really tend to me super! - j

I am absolutely not one to nix vaccines...like taking any medication, one shouldn't jump into it until you know possible or real consequences. That the info [good, bad and strange] is OUT THERE now, is great...we have the choices and can decide for ourselves. Yes, some aspects are scary, but often alternatives can be worse. Sigh, we can cure and kill ourselves at the same time - it's the informed choices that are the best tho...no looking back.