Missouri is moving closer to banning vaccines containing a mercury-based preservative…for certain people. It’s been six years since the American Academy of Pediatrics and the United States Public Health Service recommended banning the mercury-based preservative Thimerosol from vaccines. The federal guidelines have never been issued. Senator Norma Champion of Springfield has argued for three years that Missouri should not wait. Her bill would ban mercury preservatives from vaccines given to children three years old and younger and to pregnant women. The Senate has given first-round approval to her bill. It could send the bill to the House later this week. She says the vaccines are available already, will not cost any more, and there have been no objections fromvaccine companies or doctors. Her bill does contain an exemption saying the vaccines could be used if a major flu outbreak occurs and there’s not enough mercury-free vaccine.