Goes number 5; Taylor number 0
Branch DR, Gender-selective toxicity of thimerosal. Exp Toxicol Pathol. 2009 Mar; 61(2):133-6. Epub 2008 Sep 3.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18771903
This study aimed to determine the maximum tolerated dose of thimerosal in a specific strain of labratory mice (CD1). The original mouse panel consisted of 7 males and 7 females, and were subjected to enormous doses of thimerosal. All 7 of the male mice, and none of the female mice, succumed to the dosage regimen. The authors conclude
Thus, our studies, although not directly addressing the controversy surrounding thimerosal and autism, and still preliminary due to small numbers of mice examined, provide, nevertheless, the first report of gender-selective toxicity of thimerosal and indicate that any future studies of thimerosal toxicity should take into consideration gender-specific differences.
This study has not been duplicated nor have studies of thimerosal toxicity in other laboratory species been undertaken. One study has looked at gender-dependent toxicokinetics in very inbred mice and rats and found differences, but even that study surmised that human mercury toxicokinetics would be highly variable.
Does this study "demonstrate that vaccines can cause autism"? No, it showed that one specific strain of mice had gender differentials in the maximum tolerated dose of thimerosal.
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