ATLANTA, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta is boosting is commitment to monitoring the risk of the vaccines it promotes.
The CDC decided last week to separate its national immunization program, which advocates vaccination, from its vaccine safety branch, which monitors potential risks, the New York Times said Friday.
The decision to embody the separate priorities in separate offices reflects pressure from lawmakers and parents of autistic children concerned about possible links between rising rates of autism and a mercury preservative, thimerosal, once widely used in children's vaccines.
They have argued the agency's dual role in promoting vaccines and overseeing their safety is a serious conflict of interest.
Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., a doctor with a strong interest in autism issues, called the move "a step in the right direction."
