Aluminum Adjuvant in Vaccines: A New Research Avenue is Demanded

Background: For nearly a century, aluminum hydroxide (alum) has continued to be employed as an adjuvant in vaccinations. It was first applied by immunologist Alexander T. Glenny in 1926 to boost the immune response. Its great efficiency has allowed aluminum to continue to be used to date. Methods: Recognized scientific databases such as Google Scholar, Web of Science, and PubMed were utilized to search for the keywords. The selected works were reviewed and analyzed according to their relevance. Only peer-reviewed articles were included in the analysis. Results: Contemporary research carried out on animals has shown that it has a neurotoxic effect. Furthermore, increased aluminum concentrations in the nervous system tissues of people, who died from an autism condition have been discovered by using advanced imaging techniques. The paradigm shift proposes a reconsideration of the use of the alum-based adjuvants and calls for a careful dissection to avoid incorrect interpretations. This proposal does not constitute an attack on vaccination, as nobody refutes the fact that it has been systematically proven to be effective in saving millions of lives. Unfortunately, scientists, who have investigated the toxicity of aluminum-based adjuvants have been unfairly labeled as “anti-vaxxers”. Rather, what they have been questioning is the safety of aluminum as an adjuvant. Conclusions: The present work encourages researchers, health regulatory agencies, and even pharmaceutical companies to allow themselves to think about the possibility that aluminum-based adjuvants could be toxic for susceptible children.