Fact Check: Did thimerosal in vaccines devastate children’s brains and cause widespread injuries?

Media Bias Fact Check (MBFC) publishes daily vetted fact checks from verified IFCN-approved sources. Each claim is independently reviewed for accuracy and context.


Claimant: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.


Claim: Thimerosal in vaccines devastated children’s brains and caused numerous physical and neurological injuries.


Rating: BLATANT LIE


Explanation: Multiple studies have found no evidence that the low doses of thimerosal formerly used in vaccines caused the neurological or physical harms Kennedy described. Thimerosal was removed from nearly all routine childhood vaccines in the United States more than 20 years ago as a precaution. (factcheck.org)


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Date: 09/23/2026


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Last Updated on September 23, 2026 by Media Bias Fact Check