In 120 countries, vaccines containing thimerosal are currently used to save an estimated 1.4 million lives every year. Thimerosal is essential for multidose vaccines, which are less expensive to produce, store, and ship than single-dose vaccines. Some countries rely on multidose vaccines, not just because they are more cost effective and produce less waste than singledose vaccines, but also because they do not require refrigeration. There are places, mostly in poorer countries, where a ban on thimerosal would effectively be a ban on vaccination against diphtheria, pertussis, hep B, and
...more
