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A JOINT MEMORIAL
ENCOURAGING USE OF EFFICIENT AND SAFE VACCINES FOR NEW MEXICO
CHILDREN.
WHEREAS, the New Mexico legislature is committed to
protecting the health of New Mexico's children and finds that
effective and safe vaccines are essential to meet this goal;
and
WHEREAS, based on a review of scientific literature, the
clinical prevention initiative immunization workgroup, a
joint effort of the New Mexico department of health and the
New Mexico medical society has concluded that the influenza
vaccine currently in use is safe and effective for use in
children; and
WHEREAS, the mercury reduction task force has also
determined that it is important to reduce children's exposure
to mercury whenever possible, including in vaccines; and
WHEREAS, this reduction in the mercury content of
vaccines has already occurred for all other routine childhood
vaccines, including influenza vaccine for children younger
than three years of age; and
WHEREAS, ensuring an adequate supply of influenza
vaccine to New Mexico's health care providers is important to
protect New Mexico's children and adults from serious illness
and death due to influenza; and
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WHEREAS, establishing a preference for influenza vaccine
that is thimerosal-free or contains only trace amounts of
thimerosal for pregnant women and children younger than eight
years of age follows the national precedent established when
thimerosal was removed or reduced from all other childhood
vaccines;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
STATE OF NEW MEXICO that it recognize and support the efforts
of the department of health, the New Mexico medical society,
the New Mexico pediatric society, the New Mexico immunization
coalition and other health care providers and organizations
to increase immunization rates among persons who are
recommended to receive influenza immunization, using all
licensed vaccines, with preference given to vaccines
containing no more than trace amounts of mercury; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislature
support the policy of the department of health to purchase,
preferentially, influenza vaccine that is thimerosal-free or
contains only trace amounts of thimerosal for use for
pregnant women and young children, provided that the supply
of influenza vaccine to health care providers is not impeded
by the exercise of this preference; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislature
support the efforts of the department of health, the New
Mexico medical society and others to encourage the production
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and use of influenza vaccines containing no more than trace
amounts of mercury, especially for young children and
pregnant women; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretary of health be
directed to introduce a resolution to the association of
state and territorial health officers that calls for vaccine
manufacturers to move toward producing vaccine that contains
no mercury preservative; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico Legislature
convey to the United States food and drug administration its
position that adequate supples of influenza vaccines
containing no more than trace amounts of mercury be produced
for young children and pregnant women as a step toward the
goal of removing mercury from all vaccines; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
transmitted to the New Mexico congressional delegation and to
the governor.