A former leader of the anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense is scheduled to address the newly formed vaccine advisory panel of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding the use of thimerosal in influenza vaccines. The presentation has sparked concern among public health experts due to the presenter’s long-standing claims about vaccine safety.
Lyn Redwood, a nurse practitioner with a background in pediatrics and family medicine, will present her views on thimerosal at the upcoming Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting. Redwood is listed as president emerita of Children’s Health Defense, an organization founded by current U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Thimerosal is a mercury-based preservative used in some multi-dose vials of flu vaccines to prevent bacterial contamination. It contains ethylmercury, a compound that is broken down and removed from the body more quickly than methylmercury—the form found in certain types of fish. Despite scientific studies consistently demonstrating no link between thimerosal and autism, the compound has remained a focus for vaccine safety critics.
Concerns about thimerosal emerged in the late 1990s, leading the FDA in 1999 to request its removal from childhood vaccines as a precaution. Today, all vaccines recommended for children under six in the U.S. are available in thimerosal-free versions.
According to the CDC and multiple peer-reviewed studies, thimerosal has not been shown to cause neurological damage or developmental delays. Research published in journals such as Pediatrics, The New England Journal of Medicine, and JAMA has concluded that vaccines containing thimerosal are safe. Despite this, only around 4% of flu vaccines in the U.S. still contain the preservative, mostly in multi-dose vials.
The CDC recently restructured its ACIP membership, dismissing 17 former members and appointing eight new individuals. Among the new appointees are those with histories of opposing mainstream vaccine policy or testifying against vaccine manufacturers in court.
Redwood’s scheduled presentation was added to the agenda just days before the meeting. Typically, such discussions are led by ACIP working groups with months of research behind them. Public health advocates worry the late addition and Redwood’s known advocacy against thimerosal may reintroduce discredited theories.
Dr. Sean O’Leary, a pediatric infectious disease expert and liaison to the ACIP for the American Academy of Pediatrics, expressed concern, noting that few pediatric practices use the multi-dose vials containing thimerosal anymore. “It’s puzzling that this is even up for vote,” he said. “There is no credible evidence of harm.”
Redwood has previously claimed her son’s autism diagnosis was linked to high mercury exposure through vaccines. Despite studies refuting this connection, she has continued to write, speak, and testify on the topic, positioning herself as a critic of current vaccination policies.
Legal scholar Dorit Reiss of UC Law San Francisco highlighted potential conflicts of interest, citing Redwood’s strong bias. Meanwhile, the CDC maintains that its vaccination guidance is rooted in science and evidence from rigorous studies.
According to the FDA and CDC, thimerosal has been shown to be safe and is still used globally in settings where single-dose packaging is not feasible. However, myths about its dangers persist among some advocacy groups.
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