(410 ILCS 51/1) Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Mercury-Free Vaccine Act. (Source: P.A. 94-614, eff. 1-1-06.)

(410 ILCS 51/5) Sec. 5. Banned mercury-containing vaccines. (a) Commencing January 1, 2006, a person shall not be vaccinated with a mercury-containing vaccine that contains more than 1.25 micrograms of mercury per dose. (b) Commencing January 1, 2008, no person shall be vaccinated with a vaccine or injected with any product that contains, or prior to dilution, had contained as an additive, any mercury based product, whether at preservative or trace amount levels. (c) The Department of Public Health shall implement a policy to distribute, preferentially, influenza vaccines that are thimerosal-free or contain only trace amounts of thimerosal for the immunization of children under the age of 3 who are participating in the Vaccines for Children program, provided that the supply of influenza vaccines to health care providers is not impeded by the exercise of this preference. The Department shall annually communicate this policy to the General Assembly and health care providers. (Source: P.A. 94-614, eff. 1-1-06; 95-409, eff. 1-1-08.)

(410 ILCS 51/10) Sec. 10. Exemption. The Department of Public Health may exempt the use of a vaccine from this Act if the Department finds that an actual or potential bio-terrorist incident or other actual or potential public health emergency, including an epidemic or shortage of supply of a vaccine at a reasonable cost that would prevent a person from receiving the needed vaccine, makes necessary the administration of a vaccine containing more mercury than the maximum level set forth in subsection (a) or subsection (b) of Section 5 in the case of influenza vaccine. The exemption shall meet all of the following conditions:(1) The exemption shall not be issued for more than

12 months.

(2) At the end of the effective period of any

exemption, the Department may issue another exemption for up to 12 months for the same incident or public health emergency, if the Department makes a determination that any exemption is necessary as set forth in this Section and the Department notifies the legislature and interested parties pursuant to paragraphs (3), (4), and (5).

(3) Upon issuing an exemption, the Department shall,

within 48 hours, notify the legislature about any exemption and about the Department's findings justifying the exemption's approval.

(4) Upon request for an exemption, the Department

shall notify an interested party, who has expressed his or her interest to the Department in writing, that an exemption request has been made.

(5) Upon issuing an exemption, the Department shall,

within 7 days, notify an interested party, who has expressed his or her interest to the Department in writing, about any exemption and about the Department's findings justifying the exemption's approval.

(6) Upon issuing an exemption, the Department shall

remind health care providers to distribute, preferentially, influenza vaccines that are thimerosal-free or contain only trace amounts of thimerosal for the immunization of children under the age of 3, provided that the supply of influenza vaccines to health care providers is not impeded by the exercise of this preference.

(Source: P.A. 94-614, eff. 1-1-06; 95-409, eff. 1-1-08.)

(410 ILCS 51/15) Sec. 15. Notification. The Department of Public Health shall annually notify health care providers about the requirements of this Act and encourage health care providers to increase immunization rates among persons who are recommended to receive influenza immunization, using all licensed vaccines, with preference given to influenza vaccines that are thimerosal-free or contain only trace amounts of thimerosal. The Department shall include this annual notification on its Internet web site. The Department shall annually report to the General Assembly, on or before December 31, on its efforts to inform health care providers about thimerosal-free vaccines. The Department shall notify health care providers about the availability of influenza vaccines and the most effective time for persons to be vaccinated. (Source: P.A. 95-409, eff. 1-1-08.)