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HR 2617 111th Congress House Health Child health Consumer affairs Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation Emergency medical services and trauma care Hazardous wastes and toxic substances Health information and medical records Infectious and parasitic diseases Sex and reproductive health Terrorism

Mercury-Free Vaccines Act of 2009

Introduced: May 21, 2009 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 111th Congress ended
It never became law before the 111th Congress (2009–2010) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 2, 2009
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
May 21, 2009
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
May 21, 2009
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1243)
May 21, 2009
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Mercury-Free Vaccines Act of 2009 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to deem a banned mercury-containing vaccine to be adulterated. Amends the Public Health Service Act to provide that a vaccine is a banned mercury-containing vaccine if one dose of the vaccine contains one or more micrograms of mercury in any form.

Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to declare that an actual or potential bioterrorist incident or other public health emergency makes the administration of such vaccines advisable for a specified period.

Requires the Secretary to prohibit the distribution of banned mercury-containing influenza vaccines that are approved as biological products to: (1) any child under the age of three years old (effective July 1, 2009); (2) pregnant women if the vaccine contains thimerosal (effective July 1, 2009); and (3) any child under the age of six (effective July 1, 2010).

Requires the Secretary to revise the vaccine information included with mercury-containing vaccines to include: (1) a statement that indicates the presence of mercury in the vaccine; (2) information on the availability of any mercury-free or mercury-reduced alternative vaccine and instructions on how to obtain such an alternative vaccine; and (3) a recommendation against administration of any mercury-containing vaccine to a pregnant woman.

Expresses the sense of Congress that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) should disseminate, with any vaccine-related information, a recommendation against administration of any thimerosal-containing vaccine to a pregnant woman.

What's happening now June 2, 2009

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2617: Mercury-Free Vaccines Act of 2009. 111th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-2617/
MLA
"H.R. 2617: Mercury-Free Vaccines Act of 2009." 111th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-2617/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2617, 111th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-2617/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2617: Mercury-Free Vaccines Act of 2009](https://openamerica.io/bill/111-HR-2617/)
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