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Vaccine Ingredients

Vaccine Ingredients

Each component in each vaccine serves a purpose. Certain ingredients help keep vaccines safe from contamination and toxins, while others, like stabilizers, help vaccines stay effective for a long time. Each of the components are added intentionally to perform an important function. If any trace compounds are found in a vaccine, it is at a lower level than found naturally in the body or the environment --because all vaccine ingredients help to make a vaccine as effective as possible, while still remaining safe.88

Take a look for yourself- click on each category type of ingredients to learn more.

 

  • Stabilizers

    STABILIZERS88

      • Purpose: To keep the vaccine effective after manufacturing
      • Most Commonly Found: in Jell-O and naturally in the body
      • Examples: sugars and gelatin

  • Adjuvants

    ADJUVANTS88

      • Purpose: To help boost the body’s response to the vaccine
      • Most Commonly Found: in drinking water, infant formula, and health products such as antacids/buffered aspirin/antiperspirants
      • Example: aluminum salts

  • Residual Inactivating Ingredients

    RESIDUAL INACTIVATING INGREDIENTS88

      • Purpose: To kill viruses or inactive toxins during the manufacturing process 
      • Most Commonly Found: naturally in the human body, fruits, and household furnishings (carpets/upholstering)
      • Example: formaldehyde

  • Residual Cell Culture Material

    RESIDUAL CELL CULTURE MATERIAL88

      • Purpose: To grow enough of the virus or bacteria to make the vaccine
      • Most Commonly Found: in eggs and foods that contain eggs
      • Example: egg protein

  • Residual Antibiotics

    RESIDUAL ANTIBIOTICS88

      • Purpose: To prevent contamination by bacterial during the manufacturing process
      • Most Commonly Found: in antibiotics
      • Examples: neomycin, kanamycin, streptomycin

  • Preservatives

    PRESERVATIVES88

      • Purpose: To prevent contamination (in multi-dose vials)
      • Most Commonly Found: in some kinds of fish
      • Example: thimerosal

     

    *For more information around preservatives in vaccines please visit, CDC- Thimerosal and     Vaccines89

Ingredients in Specific Vaccines

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is responsible for making sure vaccines are safe and effective, has information about all approved vaccines.

Check out the links below to discover the different vaccine options and the various ingredients.

  • FDA-approved vaccines
    • Learn about the vaccines that are currently approved in the U.S. by the FDA to prevent different diseases- See approved vaccines.90