US Ties Gavi Funding to Thimerosal Removal

The U.S. government has told a group called Gavi, which helps poor countries get vaccines, that it will not give them money unless they stop using a preservative called thimerosal in their vaccines.

This preservative is used to keep vaccines safe in places where they are given to many people at once.

The U.S. says it wants to make sure the vaccines are safe, but many scientists say there is no proof that thimerosal is harmful.

Gavi says it is talking to the U.S. about this, but it will make a decision based on what scientists say is best.

The U.S. has also cut other health funding and left a group called the World Health Organization.