Why are they studying aluminum in vaccines?

At the last Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting, the advisors said that they would be studying aluminum used in vaccines. These CDC vaccine advisers are now questioning aluminum in vaccines, saying it can stay in the body, reach the brain, and may not have been tested well enough for long-term safety in children.

Sometimes a very small amount of an aluminum-containing adjuvant is added to vaccines to help them work better. Aluminum acts like a “booster” for the immune system, helping the body notice the vaccine and build strong protection. Because of this, children can get the protection they need with fewer shots.

Research has shown over and over that the tiny amount of aluminum in vaccines is far below levels that could be harmful. Our bodies already handle small amounts of aluminum because it’s naturally found in food, water, and even some medicines.

Most of the aluminum from vaccines leaves the body quickly through the kidneys. One study published in Vaccine found that the amount in vaccines is much smaller than what people take in every day from food and the environment.

The small amount that stays in the body for a short time does not build up to dangerous levels. Vaccines save millions of lives every year, and their benefits are much greater than the very small and disproven risks sometimes claimed.

A recent study from Denmark looked at the health of more than 1.2 million children over many years. The researchers checked for long-term problems like asthma, autism, and other ongoing illnesses. Because the study was so large and carefully done, it gives very strong evidence that aluminum in vaccines does not cause chronic health problems in children.