Vaccines and the Draft Mercury Treaty

Last week, the Associated Press reported that the international treaty being negotiated to address mercury pollution could ban vaccines that use mercury as a preservative. The preservative, thiomersal (also known as thimerosal), is widely used in vaccines that are distributed in sub-Saharan Africa and other regions where refrigeration may not be available. The AP article … Read More.

Of Trout, Men, and Mercury: Thinking Locally, Acting Globally

By Glenn Wiser, Chemicals Program I was fishing a mountain stream at my friend John’s place in Chilean Patagonia recently when I hooked a 27-inch wild rainbow trout.  After chasing the fish halfway down the river, I succeeded in hauling it onto the gravel bank, where I quickly did some mental math:  rainbow trout is … Read More.