Kids' Vaccine Ingredient Not Likely Linked to Neurologica...(c finding suggested a negative outcome. ...),Health

"Each test doesn't tell us as much individually," she said. "Chance alone probably explained these findings. The totality of the results are quite reassuring."

Additionally, Schuchat said there was no increase in the incidence of parent-reported tics in children with the highest thimerosal exposure, so the tics observed by the evaluators may have been transient in nature.

But several other studies have found a possible link between thimerosal exposure and tics. Because of that, the CDC feels the finding should be further explored to ensure that it was due to chance finding and not an actual effect of the preservative.

"This is what happens when you try to sub-stratify data," said Dr. Paul Offit, chief of infectious diseases at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "What's important is if you add up all the studies, do you find greater problems from thimerosal?" And, he said that study after study has shown that thimerosal does not cause harm.

"Parents should feel enormously reassured that another study has found that the levels of thimerosal contained in vaccines before 2001 are not harmful," said Offit, who also wrote one of two accompanying perspective pieces in the journal. Both pieces offered details on the legal history and the public health implications of the autism-vaccine controversy, even though that was not addressed in the actual study itself.

Thimerosal has already been removed from all but one vaccine, according to Schuchat. Some versions of the influenza vaccine still contain thimerosal, though thimerosal-free versions are also available, she said.

"Parents shouldn't take a theoretical risk and elevate it above the real risk of influenza. There's nothing theoretical about the dangers of influenza," Offit explained, adding that even healthy children can be at risk of serious flu complications.

"Vaccines are safe an
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