Have you ever heard the saying, "mad as a hatter"? Perhaps you remember Hatta, the hatter in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, mercury was used in the production of felt, which was then used in hat-making. Hat workers, or "hatters," were exposed to mercury, a toxic substance that affects the neurological system. Many suffered from mercury poisoning, exhibiting symptoms such as slurred speech, stumbling, and hallucinations.
Thimerosal, which contains ethyl mercury, was used in small amounts as a preservative in vaccines until 2000. Although thimerosal has not been shown to be a health hazard, it was removed from most vaccines, including all childhood vaccinations, in 2001. Today, it is still used in some multi-dose vials of the flu vaccine. However, multi-dose vials are rarely used and can be easily avoided.
That didn’t stop Robert Kennedy Jr. from discussing mercury as a vaccination risk during his interview with Joe Rogan on The Joe Rogan Experience (#1999), aired on June 15, 2023. Here’s my journey down the rabbit hole of RFK Jr.’s claims about mercury in vaccines during that interview.
Breaking Down RFK Jr.’s Claims
RFK Jr. begins discussing mercury in flu vaccines at 20 minutes and 30 seconds into the interview. He weaves together a string of misinformation to argue that flu vaccines contain mercury, that the body does not eliminate this mercury, that it accumulates in the brain, and that it causes brain damage. This narrative would be alarming—if it were true. Fortunately, it is not. Let’s take a careful look at what he said.
Claim: The CDC Tells Pregnant Women to Avoid Tuna Due to Mercury but Recommends Flu Shots with Mercury
RFK Jr. asks, Why does the CDC and every state regulatory agency tell pregnant women not to eat tuna because it has mercury in it, but they recommend that pregnant women receive mercury-containing flu shots that have huge, massive amounts of mercury?
Does the CDC actually recommend that pregnant women avoid tuna? No. In fact, the CDC follows the FDA’s dietary recommendations, which encourage pregnant and breastfeeding women to consume 8 to 12 ounces of low-mercury fish per week. The FDA's chart of recommended fish includes canned light tuna. Pregnant women can safely eat 2 to 3 four-ounce servings from the "best" list, which includes canned light tuna, or one serving from the "good" list, which includes all tuna except Bigeye.
Claim: Pregnant Women Should Avoid the Flu Shot
RFK Jr. questions why the CDC recommends the flu vaccine for pregnant women. The answer? Because it reduces their risk. Pregnancy increases the risk of hospitalization and death from the flu, both of which are significantly reduced by vaccination. Pregnant women who contract the flu face a higher risk of miscarriage, lower birth weights (a health risk), and congenital defects, including neural tube defects, hydrocephaly, congenital heart defects, cleft lip, digestive system defects, and limb reduction defects.
Claim: The Flu Vaccine Contains Massive Amounts of Mercury
RFK Jr. asserts that flu vaccines contain massive amounts of mercury.
False. Single-dose vials of the flu vaccine contain no mercury at all. Some multi-dose vials contain thimerosal, which includes ethyl mercury. However, multi-dose vials are rarely used in the United States. Even if a person receives a flu shot from a multi-dose vial, the dose contains only 25 micrograms of ethyl mercury—the same amount found in a can of tuna. There is no evidence that this level of exposure poses any health risk.
Claim: A Study Showed Mercury Stayed in Children’s Blood for 60 Days
RFK Jr. references a study by Dr. Michael Pichichero, claiming it showed that children who ate tuna fish sandwiches had detectable methyl mercury in their blood 60 days later.
Did Dr. Pichichero’s study involve children eating tuna fish? No. His study, Mercury Levels in Newborns and Infants After Receipt of Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines (2008), makes no mention of feeding children tuna. RFK Jr. is confabulating.
Claim: Mercury from Vaccines Was Not Eliminated from the Body
RFK Jr. states that Dr. Pichichero’s study found that mercury rapidly left the bloodstream but could not be found in urine, feces, sweat, hair, or nails, implying it was retained in the body.
Was Dr. Pichichero unable to find where the mercury went? No. The study found that mercury left the bloodstream and was excreted in feces, proving that the body eliminates it through the intestines. Once again, RFK Jr. distorts the findings.
Claim: A Study Proved Mercury from Vaccines Injuries the Brain
RFK Jr. references Dr. Thomas Burbacher’s study, claiming that monkeys given vaccines containing mercury had severe brain inflammation and that the mercury remained in their brains 20 years later.
Did Dr. Burbacher’s study show this? No. His study, Comparison of Blood and Brain Mercury Levels in Infant Monkeys Exposed to Methylmercury or Vaccines Containing Thimerosal (2005), did not examine brain inflammation. Instead, it explored the differences between blood and brain mercury levels. Furthermore, the mercury was certainly not there 20 years later—all of the monkeys in the study were euthanized before reaching one month of age.
The Verdict: RFK Jr.’s Claims Are False
The entirety of RFK Jr.’s narrative about mercury in flu vaccines is based on false statements. Later in the interview, he admits that mercury has been removed from nearly all vaccines, but by then, the damage is done.
If you are concerned about thimerosal in multi-dose vaccines, simply request a single-dose vial. These contain no thimerosal. Many major pharmacies and healthcare providers, including Kroger, Albertsons, Kaiser Permanente, and many others, exclusively use single-dose vials. A quick phone call to your vaccine provider can confirm this.
Is RFK Jr. Mad as a Hatter?
Probably not—but it's worth noting that he has previously claimed to have suffered from mercury poisoning. During his divorce proceedings, RFK Jr. reported that a parasitic worm had eaten part of his brain and then died. At the same time, he claimed his mercury levels were 10 times the normal amount, leading to cognitive issues. A medical expert suggested that mercury poisoning was the more likely cause of his cognitive problems.
What caused his mercury poisoning? RFK Jr. believes it was from eating too many tuna sandwiches. Given his fixation on mercury in vaccines, perhaps now we understand why he confabulates about tuna.
Great post!!!