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Via: California Department of Public Health
Thimerosal, a chemical used to prevent contamination of multi-dose vials of vaccines, contains mercury. California’s Mercury-Free Act took effect on July 1, 2006. The Act prohibits administering mercury-containing vaccines to pregnant women or to children younger than three years of age. To meet the “mercury-free” standards in this law, most vaccines may not have more than 0.5 micrograms of mercury per 0.5 milliliters of vaccine dose. The mercury limit for influenza vaccine is 1 microgram per 0.5 milliliters. All routine vaccines are available in formulations that meet the Mercury-Free Act.
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This gives an explanation about about "mercury free" and "preservative free", etc:
ReplyDeleteAll multidose injections (contain several doses in the same container), must contain a preservative, this is often thimerosal/mercury.
To have preservative properties it must be present in a strength of at least 0.01% in the final product. (Equivalent to 50 microgram thimerosal per 0.5ml dose, or 25 microgram mercury).
The reason why multidose preparations contain preservatives is to prevent contamination from the surroundings in connection with withdrawal of several doses.
Single dose injections do not normally require preservatives. They are discarded after the one dose is withdrawn.
HOWEVER
During the manufacturing processes mercury may be used to prevent microbial contamination, even though it will not be present IN PRESERVATIVE STRENGTH in the end product. (This is the case with many single dose injections).
The intention is to remove the mercury, but because it is difficult and expensive to remove absolutely all, up to 0.3 microgram per 0.5 ml dose is permitted to remain.
This is termed “trace” mercury and is not sufficient to have preservative properties because it is not present in sufficient strength.
It is often misleading due to the fact that injections may be termed “preservative free” because they do not contain mercury in a high enough concentration to have preservative properties – but they may nevertheless contain traces of mercury!