(NewsNation) — In their first meeting, the recently remade Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted in favor of only recommending flu shots that don’t contain the mercury-based preservative thimerosal.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired all 17 members of the ACIP earlier this month. In a hearing on the HHS budget Tuesday, Kennedy defended the move, saying he “fired people who have conflicts.”
The ACIP, which provides guidance to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, voted on four different draft recommendations, three of which involved only recommending single-dose, thimerosal-free vaccines for children under 18, pregnant women and all adults.
Thimerosal, which only contains small amounts of ethylmercury, is used in multidose vaccine vials to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi. Despite studies finding no connection, anti-vaccine advocates have argued there is a link between the chemical and autism. The CDC has also refuted the claim.
“Even after thimerosal was removed from almost all childhood vaccines, autism rates continued to increase, which is the opposite of what would be expected if thimerosal caused autism,” the CDC said.
Critics believe an action like this shouldn’t have been taken because it restricts access to vaccines, while others say it was a step to making sure children are healthy.