This could become a reality if anti-thiomersal activists are successful .
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is developing a treaty on the production, importation, and export of mercury-added products. Thiomersal (also known as thimerosal, mercurothiolate, and sodium 2-ethylmercuriothio-benzoate) is a key preservative used in most multi-dose vaccines and it contains a mercury-based ingredient, ethylmercury. Although data from many studies show no convincing evidence of harm caused by the low doses of thiomersal in vaccines, all mercury-added pharmaceutical products, including vaccines, are currently included in a draft list of products to be banned under the treaty, if adopted as written. Banning thiomersal in vaccines would almost certainly limit the availability of affordable vaccines and result in a significant adverse public health impact. To our knowledge, the health community has not been involved in the formulation of this treaty, which is under the auspices of environmental entities.
Additional information is included below and attached.
We are asking participants in this forum to respond in two ways:
(1) Educate country environmental representatives to UNEP of the potential impact such a ban would have on their respective countries. This can be done directly (using contact information provided here) or indirectly by engaging with ministries of health or other influential health officials who can reach UNEP country representatives. A one-page overview of the situation is attached as well as a brief by WHO.
(2) Share with this group the potential impact a ban on thiomersal would have on the work that you do, or more broadly.
Please contact Erin Fry, Government Affairs Officer at PATH, [email protected], with additional information or questions.
About the UNEP Mercury Negotiations & Thiomersal
• In 2009, UNEP decided to develop a binding agreement on mercury, including the production, import, or export of mercury-added products, to be completed in 2013.
• Negotiations are taking place over five International Negotiating Committee (INC) meetings.
• In the second INC meeting, the issue of thiomersal in multi-dose vaccines was raised by a US anti-thiomersal activist group.
• In response to the second discussion draft of the treaty, the African Region stated, “The use of mercury in pharmaceutical products where alternatives exist should also be prohibited. Existing stocks should not be sold to the developing world.”
• The third discussion draft released in preparation for the October/November 2011 negotiation includes “pharmaceutical products” on a list of all mercury-added products that would be banned.
• Countries (and some regions) replied with comments to the third discussion draft; the US suggested that pharmaceutical products should not be on the list to ban; those from the Latin American and Caribbean regions and the European Union, suggested more broadly that affordability should be considered along with periodic scientific reviews of evidence.
• To date, the only non-governmental organization (NGO) response posted related to vaccines is from an anti-thiomersal group and is a “Summary of Supportive Science Regarding Thimerosal.”
• It appears as though the voice of the health community has not adequately been present in these negotiations.
• We understand that WHO will be presenting and submitting materials at the third INC, and is supportive of the health community engaging with country-level INC delegates on the issue.
UNEP-Mercury-Treaty----Vaccine-Issue-Overview.pdf
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