Trace Amounts: Autism, Mercury, and the Hidden Truth is a 2014
anti-vaccination biographic film by Eric Gladen, who claims to have experienced
mercury poisoning after receiving a tetanus vaccine. In the film, he presents his investigation on the cause of his condition, argues that vaccines should be made without mercury, and claims that mercury and aluminium content of vaccines is linked to autism, a claim that is contrary to the scientific consensus.[1][2][3][4][5] The film questions a 2011 journal article which described the vaccine-autism connection as "the most damaging
medical hoax of the last 100 years".[1][6][7]
The film has been promoted by celebrities including
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.[8][9] It was marketed through targeted "boutique screenings" to celebrities known to be sympathetic to the anti-vaccination cause, including
Jim Carrey,
Ed Begley, Jr., and
Bob Sears,[10] and is credited with inspiring Carrey's "Twitter meltdown" following passage of
California Senate Bill 277, which removed personal belief exemptions from vaccination requirements.[5][11] It has also been used by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in his lobbying efforts targeting Oregon lawmakers who could influence Oregon Senate Bill 442, which sought to remove personal belief exemptions from vaccination requirements, but was subsequently withdrawn.[12][13]
References
^
abFlaherty, DK (October 2011). "The Vaccine-autism Connection: A Public Health Crisis Caused by Unethical Medical Practices and Fraudulent Science". Ann Pharmacother. 45 (10): 1302–1304.
doi:
10.1345/aph.1Q318.
PMID21917556.
S2CID39479569.