ANA Position Statement - Approved 6/21/06
The American Nurses Association:
- insists that pharmaceutical companies develop technology to produce seasonal influenza vaccine without using thimerosal as a preservative and cease using thimerosal as a preservative in vaccines immediately,
- insists that pharmaceutical companies increase the availability of single dose vials and pre-filled syringes to meet the subsequent increased demand with discontinuation of the use of thimerosal as a preservative in multi-dose vials of seasonal influenza vaccine,
- in recognition of a public health emergency, urges the use of the available vaccine in the event that a pandemic influenza and/or avian influenza pandemic occurs to help protect registered nurses, their families, their patients and communities from extending the outbreak, and
- recognizes the World Health Organization’s leadership role in promoting efforts to develop alternatives to using multidose vials of any thimerosal containing vaccine in the developing world.
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