Brief Description: Prohibiting vaccinating pregnant women and children with mercury-containing vaccines.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Rasmussen, Benton, Roach, Swecker, Zarelli, Regala, Stevens, Shin, Delvin, Franklin and Mulliken).

Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care
House Committee on Health Care

Background: There is concern that the mercury-containing stabilizing agents in certain vaccinations typically administered during childhood may cause autism.

Thimerosal, a preservative that has been used in some vaccines since the 1930's to prevent contamination, contains approximately 40 percent ethylmercury. Until 1999, vaccines given to infants to protect them against diptheria, tetanus, pertussis (also known as whooping cough), Haemophilus influenzae type b (bacterial meningitis), and Hepatitis B contained thimerosal as a preservative. Today, with the exception of some flu vaccines, none of the vaccines used in the United States to protect preschool aged children against 12 infectious diseases contains thimerosal as a preservative.

Summary: Beginning July 1, 2007, children under 3 and pregnant women will not be vaccinated with a vaccine that contains more than 0.5 micrograms of mercury per 0.5 milliliter dose. The Secretary of Health may suspend this requirement upon the declaration of a public health emergency. All vaccines must meet Food and Drug Administration vaccine licensing requirements.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      44   0
House      97   0   (House amended)
Senate            (Senate refused to concur)
House      98   0   (House amended)
Senate      47   0   (Senate concurred)

Effective: June 7, 2006