Welcome to the world of conspiracies, where everything is possible and nothing can be trusted. Today we are going to break down one such mystery surrounding the popular flu vaccine called Flumist. Rumors are spreading fast that this magical nasal spray causes more harm than good due to its alleged use of mercury as an ingredient. Is there any truth in these claims? Let's find out!
The Controversy Begins
The origin of this controversy goes back a few years when questions were raised about why certain vaccines contain thimerosal, an ethylmercury-containing preservative. Since then, it has been a hot topic among anti-vaxxers who believe that mercury in any form is harmful to humans.
What Is Thimerosal?
Let's take a closer look at thimerosal - what it is and how it works.
Thimerosal is used as a preservative in some vaccines (not all) to prevent bacterial and fungal growth during storage so that they remain effective until their expiration date. When bacteria or fungi grow inside a vaccine vial, they can change the chemical composition of the vaccine components leading to reduced effectiveness or even total failure.
In other words, thimerosal acts like your favorite food items' preservatives - imagine coming home with fresh groceries only for them not lasting until tomorrow morning because you forgot to keep them refrigerated! Without reliable preservation methods, vaccines would lose potency before their expiry dates.
Ethylmercury vs Methylmercury
Mercury comes in two main forms - Ethylmercury and Methylmercury. Both have different structures and properties; however ethylmercury generally breaks down much more quickly into metabolites than methyl- which makes its effects potentially less dangerous over time (don't worry I am not questioning whether consuming either type of mercury on purpose could ever be safe!).
Thimerosal and Vaccines
Back to thimerosal. Ethylmercury is not the same as methylmercury - a fact that has been made abundantly clear by various investigations and studies conducted around the world independently by different bodies such as WHO, CDC, FDA among others.
Even so, many pharmaceutical companies decided to remove thimerosal from certain vaccines voluntarily since public perception surrounding it became negative despite scientific evidence proving its safety (talk about bad recollection skills!).
Flumist 101
Now that we've covered some ground on related topics let's talk FluMist. What is it and why do people care if it contains mercury or not?
FluMist is an intranasal vaccine used for preventing the flu caused by three seasonal viruses: Influenza A (H1N1), Influenza A (H3N2), and Influenza B. It’s approved for use in people between two years old until fifty years of age who are either healthy or have medical conditions but don't have severely weakened immune systems like elderly folks (I am not trying to make fun of anyone here).
The makers of Flumist state they no longer use any form of mercury inside their product; instead other preservatives that perform similar functions are included which pass considerably more empirical testing than those supposed "unsafe" elements ((did you read what I just wrote)!
But still conspiracy theorists argue basic principles suggesting anything created within laboratories must contain unhealthy toxins because targeting vaccinations creates spreading fear-based propaganda could cause unnecessary deaths should be challenged where ever possible!
So... Does FluMist Really Contain Mercury?
In short – No! Or at least there isn’t any credible evidence stating otherwise. Despite accusations being thrown everywhere against this nasal spray containing toxic agents, the truth remains that no traces whatsoever indicating probable lack safety aspects show or hint something that would necessitate the claim.
The makers of Flumist have been keeping their product updated with time, always changing out ingredients if confirmed any health risks showed up later down-the-line. Their dedication towards ensuring safety isn’t just marketing talk either as many trials are conducted to guarantee everything is okay before each new (or phased-out) iteration hits shelves!
Conclusion
We’ve come to an end on this topic so thank you for joining me in discovering whether Flumist contains mercury or not! As we can see from what we have examined today there is no evidence regarding harmful substances being found inside its label-reading it seems like understanding take-steps necessary towards making sure your body and mind remain healthy has become increasingly important.
So next time someone tries telling you about how bad they think vaccines might be because of unverified findings shared over social networks make sure that their source isn't biased - most importantly ensure those claims hold some truth (I am not advocating against questioning authority but reality checks should never be skipped!)