It’s not a big secret that it’s important to be careful what we put into our bodies. Obviously eating junk food everyday will have very different consequences on one’s health than consuming fresh fruits and vegetables on a daily basis.
When eating processed foods, if quality of diet is of concern, one has to read labels to make sure products don’t contain items that are known to be detrimental to health, such as high fructose corn syrup or MSG. And when it comes to people who have food sensitivies, they have to be very careful to avoid foods that are triggers for them, even if that type of food is just fine for many other people.
So if we are concerned with our health, we must be very careful what we put into our bodies or what we put on our bodies that is absorbed through the skin.
When it comes to vaccinations, most parents have never thought twice what is in the syringe that is injected into their child. Yes, they know it’s a vaccine, but what’s in a vaccine?
Vaccines contain a killed, inactivated or portion of a toxin or pathogen such as a virus or bacteria so that the immune system can react to it and attempt to provide the desired immunity. However, since the inactive toxin or pathogen is not a threat, there must be something in the vaccine to provide the necessary reaction to get the immune system to respond. This ingredient is called an adjuvant. The most common adjuvant in vaccines today is aluminum.
In addition to an adjuvant, vaccines can contain preservatives such as thimerosal (which has been removed from childhood vaccines, but they still contain trace amounts), stabilizers such as MSG, toxin inactivators such as formaldehyde and residuals from the growth medium to name a few.
For vaccines that are developed on animal tissue (such as the polio vaccine from monkey kidney) vaccines must contain antibiotics to deal with bacteria from the diseased animal tissue. For vaccines that are developed on aborted fetal tissue, vaccines contain residual human DNA.
One argument for the safety of using these ingredients in vaccines is that they are in such small amounts that they couldn’t pose a risk. There is a major problem with that argument, in that we can say nothing of the safety of injecting these ingredients into infants because there have been no safety studies done of doing just that.
When one study did look at what would happen if the aluminum used in vaccines was injected into mice, they found it caused neurological damage.
Aluminum hydroxide injections lead to motor deficits and motor neuron degeneration, Christopher A. Shaw, et al, Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 2009 Aug 20 http://www.healthsentinel.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2598:study-clearly-demonstrates-that-aluminum-found-in-vaccines-can-cause-neurologic-damage&catid=5:original&Itemid=24
So just as we need to be aware of what is in the food we eat if we want to be healthy, we also must be aware of what is in a vaccine to determine if that is something we want injected into our children.
The ingredients in vaccines are listed below, including the purpose they are in vaccines, other uses these ingredients have and the risks or hazards that these ingredients pose.
To look up what is in a specific vaccine, click on Vaccines at the top of the page, and click on the specific vaccine you are looking for.
Purpose: Component of growth medium
Vaccine: DTaP-Hep B-IPV (Pediarix), Hep B-Hep A (Twinrix), Hep B (Engerix-B, Recombivax HB), Hib (HibTiter), Hib-Hep B (Comvax)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Growth medium
Vaccine: Influenza (Fluarix, Flulaval)
Other Uses: Research (protein and immune function
Risks / Hazards: Allergic Reaction (egg allergy)
Purpose: Componenent of growth medium, protein stabilizer
Vaccine: MMR (MMRII), MMRV (ProQuad)
Other Uses: Stabilizing component in pharmaceutical and biological products
Risks / Hazards: Transmission of possible viral / prion contaminants from blood donors
Purpose: Component of growth medium, protein
Vaccine: Hepatitis A (Havrix, Vaqta), MMR (MMR II) Rotavirus (RotaTeq), Varicella (Varivax)
Other Uses: numerous biochemical applications including ELISAs, immunoblots, and cell culture nutritent
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Adjuvant
Vaccine: DTaP (Infanrix), DTaP-Hep B-IPV (Pediarix), Td (Massachusetts), Hepatitis A (Havrix), Hep A-Hep B (Twinrix), Tdap (Boostrix)
Other Uses: Antacid
Risks / Hazards: Inhalation - Causes irritation to the respiratory tract. Symptoms may include coughing, shortness of breath. Eye Contact - Causes irritation, redness, and pain.
Purpose: Adjuvant
Vaccine: Hib (PedvaxHIB), Hib-Hep B (Comvax), Hepatitis A (Vaqta), Hepatitis B (Recombivax HB), Human papillomavirus (Gardasil)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Adjuvant
Vaccine: DTaP (Daptacel), Hep A-Hep B (Twinrix), Pneumococcal (Prevnar), Td (Decavac), Td (Massachusetts), Tdap (Adacel)
Other Uses: It is used in cake mixes and in some baking powders as a leavening agent to help baked goods rise. Medicinally it is used as adsorbent for toxoid.It is used industrially as a high-temperature dehydrating agent.
Risks / Hazards: Skin: Causes skin irritation and burns, may lead to dermatitic reaction on long exposure. Ingestion: Causes gastrointestinal tract burns. Causes severe pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and shock. Inhalation: Inhalation is not an expected hazard unless misted or heated to high temperatures. Mist or vapor inhalation can cause irritation and burns to the nose, throat, and upper respiratory tract. The result of spasm, inflammation and pulmonary edema may be fatal.
Purpose: Adjuvant
Vaccine: DTaP (Daptacel, Tripedia), DT (Sanofi Pasteur)
Other Uses: used in water purification, leather tanning, fireproof textiles, baking powder, antiperspirants, and aftershave
Risks / Hazards: Harmful if swallowed or inhaled. Causes irritation to skin, eyes and respiratory tract.
Purpose: Component of growth medium
Vaccine: Hepatitis A (Havrix), Hep A-Hep B (Twinrix), Rotavirus (Rotarix), Td (Aventis Pasteur)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Antioxidant, protein fractionalization
Vaccine: DT, Td (Tenivac), Tdap (Adacel), DTaP (Daptacel), DTaP-IPV/Hib (Pentacel), Hib (Act-HIB), Meningococcal (MCV4- Menactra), Pneumococcal (Prevnar 13)
Other Uses: Fertilizer, Pesticide adjuvant
Risks / Hazards: suspected gastrointestinal or liver toxicant, Neurotoxicant, Respiratory toxicant
Purpose: Component of growth medium
Vaccine: Influenza (varies seasonally)
Other Uses: It is an enzymatic digest of animal protein and used as an organic nitrogen source in microbiological culture media for cultivation of a variety of bacteria and fungi.
Risks / Hazards: Exposure to animal protein, contamination
Purpose: inactivates a wide variety of bacteria, fungi, and viruses.
Vaccine: Influenza (Fluvirin)
Other Uses: a superior sterilizing agent for biologicals because of its capacity to inactivate a wide variety of bacteria, fungi, and viruses.
Risks / Hazards: The toxicity potential of this material via inhalation or ingestion is high; may cause death or permanent injury after very short exposures to small quantities. It is a carcinogen.
Purpose: Medium nutrient
Vaccine: Rotavirus (Rotarix)
Other Uses: main use in construction industry, chalk, antacids
Risks / Hazards: Excessive consumption can cause alkalosis and hypercalcemia
Purpose: Medium nutrient
Vaccine: Rotavirus (Rotarix)
Other Uses: Drying agent, deicing agent, firming agent in canned vegetables
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Medium nutrient
Vaccine: Rotavirus (Rotarix)
Other Uses: A sulphur containing amino acid formed from two molecules of cysteine. Used also in nutritional supplementation.
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Medium nutrient
Vaccine: Rotavirus (Rotarix)
Other Uses: A polysccharide of many glucose molecules, it is used medicinally as an antithrombitic, reduces blood viscosity, and a volume expander
Risks / Hazards: Anaphylaxis, volume overload, pulmonary edema, cerebral edema, or platelet dysfunction
Purpose: Manufacturing Residue
Vaccine: Hepatitis A (Vaqta)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards: The possibility that the injected DNA will actually become a part of (will be integrated) into one of the human chromosomes inside the cell.
Purpose: Growth medium
Vaccine: Rotavirus (Rotarix)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Preservative
Vaccine: Varicella (Varivax)
Other Uses: Chelation Therapy
Risks / Hazards: It has been found to be both cytotoxic and weakly genotoxic in laboratory animals. Oral exposures have been noted to cause reproductive and developmental effects
Purpose: Manufacturing Residue
Vaccine: Influenza (all brands)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards: Allergic reaction
Purpose: Medium nutrient
Vaccine: Rotavirus (Rotarix)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Antimicrobial, toxin inactivator, stabilizer
Vaccine: DTaP (all brands), DTaP-Hep B-IPV (Pediarix), DTaP-Hib (TriHIbit), DT (all brands), Td (all brands), Hepatitis A (Havrix, Vaqta), Hepatitis A- Hepatitis B (Twinrix), Hib (ActHiB), Hib-Hep B (Comvax), Influenza (Fluzone, Fluarix, FluLaval), Polio-virus inactivated (Ipol), Tdap (Adacel, Boostrix)
Other Uses: Used in embalming fluid, polymerized plastics, metalworking fluids, wood composites, insulation, medicaments, fabrics, cosmetics, and detergents
Risks / Hazards: Fewer than 20% but perhaps more than 10% of the general population may be susceptible to formaldehyde and may react acutely at any exposure level. Formaldehyde is oxidized to formic acid which leads to acidosis and nerve damage. Acidosis can be described as a condition in which the acidity of the body tissues and fluids is abnormally high. The liver and the kidneys may also be damaged.
Purpose: Stabilizer in freeze-drying, solvent
Vaccine: DTaP (Tripedia), DTaP-Hib (TriHibit), Hepatitis B (Recombivax-HB), Human Papillomavirus (Gardasil), Influenza (Fluzone), MMR (MMR II), Varicella (Varivax)
Other Uses: This hydrolyzed collagen product is used as a gelling agent in food, pharmaceuticals, photography, and cosmetic manufacturing
Risks / Hazards: Allergic reaction, excitotoxic (contains MSG)
Purpose: Antibacterial
Vaccine: Influenza (Fluarix, FluMist)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards: Can cause deafness or a loss of equilibrioception. Can also be highly nephrotoxic, particularly if multiple doses accumulate over a course of treatment.
Purpose: Toxin detoxifier
Vaccine: DTaP (Infanrix), DTaP-Hep B-IPV (Pediarix), Tdap (Boostrix)
Other Uses: Is a colourless liquid with a pungent odor used to sterilize medical and dental equipment. It is also used for industrial water treatment and as a chemical preservative.
Risks / Hazards: It is toxic, causing severe eye, nose, and throat and lung irritation, along with headaches, drowsiness and dizziness.
Purpose: Protein Stabilizer
Vaccine: DT (most brands), Td (most brands)
Other Uses: sweetener/taste enhancer
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Stabilizer
Vaccine: Human Papillomavirus (Gardasil)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Adjust pH
Vaccine: DTaP (most brands), DT (most brands)
Other Uses: many industrial uses
Risks / Hazards: corrosive
Purpose: Component of growth medium
Vaccine: Influenza (Fluarix)
Other Uses: anti-inflammatory
Risks / Hazards: Side effects from medication can include upset stomach, stomach irritation, vomiting, headache, dizziness, insomnia, restlessness, depression, anxiety, acne, increased hair growth, easy bruising, irregular or absent menstrual periods, skin rash, swollen face, lower legs, or ankles, cold or infection that lasts a long time, muscle weakness, black or tarry stool.
Purpose: Stabilizer in freeze-drying, filling
Vaccine: Hib (some packages), Meningococcal (Menomune)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Medium nutrient
Vaccine: Rotavirus (Rotarix)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Stabilizer
Vaccine: Influenza (FluMist), MMRV (ProQuad), Varicella (Varivax)
Other Uses: Food additive
Risks / Hazards: MSG is an excitotoxin which causes damage by overstimulating brain cells. MSG is a known trigger for seizures. A 2006 study showed elevated glutamate levels in the brains of autistic males.
Purpose: Manufacturing Residue
Vaccine: Hepatitis A (Havrix, Vaqta), Hep A-Hep B (Twinrix), MMRV (ProQuad), Poliovirus inactivated (Poliovax), Varicella (Varivax)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Antibacterial
Vaccine: DTaP-Hep B-IPV (Pediarix), Hep B-Hep A (Twinrix), Influenza (Fluvirin), MMR (MMR II), MMRV (ProQuad), Poliovirus inactivated (Ipol), Varicella (Varivax)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Preservative, antibacterial
Vaccine: Pneumococcal, (Pneumovax-23)
Other Uses: weed killers, synthetic resins
Risks / Hazards: EDF Suspected - cardiovascular or blood toxicant, developmental toxicant, gastrointestinal or liver toxicant, kidney toxicant, neurotoxicant, reproductive toxicant, respiratory toxicant, skin or sense organ toxicant.
Purpose: pH indicator, dye
Vaccine: Rotavirus (Rotarix)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Preservative, stabilizer
Vaccine: DTaP (Infanrix, Deptacel), DTaP-Hep B-IPV (Pediarix), Hepatitis A (Havrix), Hep A-Hep B (Twinrix), Poliovirus inactivated (Ipol), Td (Sanofi Pasteur)
Other Uses: Antifreeze, insect repellent, a topical antiseptic, a solvent for cellulose acetate, dyes, inks and resins, in organic synthesis of plasticizers, in germicides.
Risks / Hazards: Classed as "Very Toxic Material". May lead to kidney, liver, blood and central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Harmful or fatal if swallowed. Effects include behavioural disorders, drowsiness, vomiting, diarrhoea, visual disturbances, thirst, convulsions, cyanosis, and rapid heart rate, CNS stimulation, depression, cardiopulmonary effects, kidney disorders. May also lead to liver and blood disorders. Produces reproductive and developmental effects in experimental animals. May cause reproductive defects. Severe eye and skin irritant. Harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. One report describes generalized eczema occurring after vaccination where 2-phenoxyethanol was found to be the sensitizing agent.
Purpose: Adjust pH
Vaccine: DTaP (most brands), DT (most brands), Hib (Act-Hib), Hep A (Havrix), Hep A-Hep B (Twinrix), Hep B (Engerix-B), Influenza (Fluarix, FluMist, FluLaval), MMR (MMR II), MMRV (ProQuad), Rotavirus (RotaTeq), Varicella (Varivax)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Antibacterial
Vaccine: DTaP-Hep B-IPV (Pediarix), Influenza (Fluvirin), Poliovirus inactivated (Ipol)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Nonionic surfactant (viral inactivation)
Vaccine: Influenza (Fluvirin)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Nonionic surfactant (viral inactivation)
Vaccine: Influenza (Fluarix, Fluzone)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Surfactant
Vaccine: Hep A (Havrix), Hep A-Hep B (Twinrix)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Surfactant
Vaccine: DTaP (Infanrix, Tripedia), DTaP-Hep B-IPV (Pediarix), DTaP-Hib (TriHIBit), Human papillomavirus (Gardasil), Influenza (Fluarix), Rotavirus (RotaTeq)
Other Uses: Used as a food additive and also assists in the delivery of drugs or chemotherapeutic agents across the blood-brain-barrier.
Risks / Hazards: Linked to infertility in mice, and impaired sexual organs as well as premature development of sexual organs in rats. Can also cause anaphylaxis.
Purpose: Adjust pH, tonicity, medium nutrient
Vaccine: MMRV (ProQuad) Rotavirus (Rotarix), Zoster (Zostavax)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Component of growth medium
Vaccine: Zoster (Zostavax)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Adjust pH
Vaccine: DT (some brands), Td (some brands)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Adjust pH
Vaccine: MMRV (ProQuad)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Adjust pH
Vaccine: Hepatitis A (Vaqta), Hib-Hep B (Comvax), Human papillomavirus (Gardasil)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Adjust tonicity
Vaccine: Most vaccines, including Human papillomavirus (Gardasil), Influenza (Fluarix), MMR (MMR II), Meningococcal (Menactra), MMRV (ProQuad), Pneumococcal, Polio inactivated, Rotavirus (Rotarix), Varicella (Varivax), Zoster (Zostavax)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Adjust pH
Vaccine: Rotavirus (RotaTeq)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Anionic surfactant (viral inactivation)
Vaccine: Influenza (Fluarix, Flulaval)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Medium nutrient
Vaccine: Rotavirus (Rotarix)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Adjust pH
Vaccine: Rotavirus (Rotarix)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Medium nutrient
Vaccine: Rotavirus (Rotarix)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Medium nutrient
Vaccine: Rotavirus (Rotarix)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Stabilizer, solvent
Vaccine: MMR (MMR II), MMRV (ProQuad), Rotavirus (RotaTeq), Td (most brands)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Antibacterial
Vaccine: Poliovirus inactivated (Ipol)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Stabilizer
Vaccine: DTaP-Hib (TriHIBit), Hib (Act-Hib), Influenza (FluMist), MMR (MMR II), MMRV (Proquad), Rotavirus (RotaTeq), Varicella (Varivax), Zoster (Zostavax)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose:
Vaccine:
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Preservative in some multidose containers (see package labeling for precise content)
Vaccine: DTaP (some multidose containers), DTaP-Hib (TriHIBit), DT (some multidose containers), Td (some multidose containers), Hib (some multidose containers), Influenza (some multidose containers, Meningococcal (Menomune), Some single dose containers contain trace amounts of thimerosal from the production process, but substantially lower concentrations than if used as a preservative.
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Component of growth medium
Vaccine: Rotavirus (Rotarix), Td (Sanofi Pasteur)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Medium nutrient
Vaccine: Rotavirus (Rotarix)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Stabilizer
Vaccine: Varicella (Varivax)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Component of growth medium
Vaccine: Rotavirus (Rotarix), Td (Sanofi Pasteur)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards:
Purpose: Thickening agent
Vaccine: Rotavirus (Rotarix)
Other Uses:
Risks / Hazards: