Thimerosal’s Nomination to the National Toxicology Program
In 2001, Thimerosal was nominated to the NTP for further study to assess gaps in knowledge regarding toxicokinetics and the potential for neurodevelopmental toxicity. These gaps included comparative toxicity of ethyl- and methylmercury, the metabolism and elimination of ethylmercury compared with methylmercury, the effect of intermittent intramuscular doses of thimerosal from vaccines compared with chronic low dose oral exposure to methylmercury, and the susceptibility of the infant compared with the fetus to adverse effects from organic mercurials. In order to provide a more complete assessment of the toxicity of thimerosal during the critical period of neurodevelopment, well-designed studies were needed to address these gaps in knowledge in appropriate animal model(s). Many of these studies were never done and thimerosal’s nomination was rejected.
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