Doctors in New York refuse to use Mercury vaccines

February 11, 2005

When they first visit Dr. Jason Hitner's office, most newborn
patients are beginning a journey likely to include as many as 19
vaccinations in their next 18 months. He assures their parents he
will avoid thimerosal, a mercury-containing compound used for
decades to preserve vaccines.

He says he avoids cheaper vaccines - even when insurance companies
won't fully reimburse the North Babylon pediatrician. When it came
to flu shots, some doctors gave children half an adult dose - which
contained the preservative, he said. But Hitner paid $5.75 more per
dose to ensure his did not.



"This goes beyond money," he said yesterday, adding that many
doctors share his view. "It has long been known that mercury is not
a good thing for children."

In the past few years, concerns escalated about how much thimerosal
children were receiving and what, if any, problems could result.
Vaccine makers have worked to reduce or eliminate thimerosal in
recent years, according to the Food and Drug Administration's Web
site.

That's helped reduce the amount children receive and quieted the
debate. Earlier this week, the Los Angeles Times revealed that as
early as 1991, senior executives at Merck & Co. were concerned about
how much mercury children were then receiving via vaccinations.

Dr. Costa Constantatos, a Babylon pediatrician who also uses mercury-
free vaccines, said the revelation hasn't sparked panic with his
patients. He receives, at most, one or two inquiries a month about
mercury. He explains that most vaccines now come in a single dose,
which "eliminated the need for the mercury component."

Claire Conlon, 40, of West Babylon, became an advocate against even
trace amounts after her nephew was diagnosed with autism. Though any
link to mercury remains unproven, she chose Hitner, in part, to
ensure her son, now 2, received little, if any, thimerosal.

Dawn Wotapka is a freelance writer.


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