Vaccines are necessary to keep your little one healthy: They work by boosting the immune system’s defenses against an invading virus or bacterium.
But as it turns out, vaccines can also benefit from a little boosting — which is where aluminum comes in. Small amounts are added to some vaccines to make them even more effective.
Though that may sound worrying, rest assured that putting a little aluminum in certain vaccines is actually a good thing and is perfectly safe.
Is there aluminum in vaccines?
Yes, aluminum — the same metal found in air, soil, and water everywhere — is also present in small amounts in some vaccines (albeit, in a salt form like aluminum hydroxide).[1]
Why do some vaccines contain aluminum?
Aluminum is what’s known as an “adjuvant,” which is something that’s added to vaccines to make them more effective, says Lauren Crosby, M.D., a pediatrician at La Peer Pediatrics in Beverly Hills, California, and a member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board.
By using an adjuvant, she explains, “smaller doses of the active ingredient are needed, and/or fewer shots are required to become protected.”
Adding aluminum to vaccines is nothing new. In fact, health professionals have been doing it for more than 70 years, says Florencia Segura, M.D., a pediatrician at Einstein Pediatrics in Vienna, Virginia, and a member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board.
Research dating as far back as 1926 has shown that aluminum showed “great promise” in vaccines.[2] By the time the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s rolled around, it was already starting to be used in diphtheria and tetanus vaccines, since it was found that it could strengthen the body’s immune response.
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Which vaccines have aluminum?
Aluminum is present in vaccines for hepatitis A; hepatitis B; Hib; pneumococcal conjugates; diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis; HPV; and meningitis B, says Dr. Crosby.
Is it safe for vaccines to have aluminum in them?
Yes — leading organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) all emphasize that aluminum-containing vaccines are safe.
Like all vaccines, those that contain aluminum have been rigorously studied and monitored in clinical trials; only once they were shown to be safe were they allowed to be administered to patients.
“Vaccines are safe,” says Dr. Crosby. “The diseases they protect against are not.”
Another thing to remember: Aluminum is found pretty much everywhere, says Dr. Crosby.
“It’s in our food, air, water, and breast milk,” she says. “There is more aluminum in one’s circulation because of what someone eats and drinks than one would ever get from vaccines.”
The same goes for babies too.
“The tiny amount of aluminum in vaccines is much less than what babies naturally ingest through breast milk or formula,” says Dr. Segura.
Should I delay getting my baby a vaccine that contains aluminum?
Unless there’s a medical reason to delay a vaccine, it’s not a good idea to schedule the shots for a later date.
“Delaying vaccines leaves the child vulnerable to diseases,” says Dr. Crosby, especially when they’re at a young age. “Parents often do not return for catch-up visits, and the children get more and more behind on their vaccines.”
In short: There’s no reason to shy away from vaccines that contain aluminum. But if you’re still feeling uneasy, talk to your pediatrician to come up with a plan you're comfortable with, or just to get some reassurance. Your practitioner can help reinforce the fact that all vaccines recommended for your baby are the best way to protect her against a number of harmful diseases.
"We are getting all the vaccinations recommended," says What to Expect Community mom MrsR717. "I'm more concerned about her not being vaccinated than her getting them. She was a little fussy after her shots, but she was fine after a while."
Aluminum in vaccines helps them work better. Aluminum is used as an adjuvant — a substance that boosts the immune response — allowing vaccines to be more effective with smaller doses or fewer shots.
Aluminum in vaccines is safe and well-studied. Aluminum-containing vaccines have been safely used for more than 70 years and are approved by trusted health organizations like the CDC, FDA, and AAP after extensive testing.
Babies are exposed to more aluminum through everyday sources. The tiny amount of aluminum in vaccines is far less than what babies naturally ingest from breast milk, formula, food, and water, making it safe and not a reason to delay vaccination.
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