“My daughter has a corn allergy, do I need to worry about her getting vaccines?”

“I heard the rise in peanut allergies is because peanut oils are used in vaccines. Is this true?”

Both of these questions are related to the notion that oils in vaccines can cause allergic reactions in those who have food sensitivities. Indeed, if someone has a sensitivity to a vaccine component, they may be advised not to get it; however, vaccines do not contain either corn or peanut oils.

Oils would typically be introduced in oil-in-water emulsions for use as adjuvants. One such preparation, squalene, is approved for use as an adjuvant in the U.S. It is included in Fluad^®, an influenza vaccine for adults 65 and older. Squalene is taken from fish oil, specifically shark liver oil. Squalene is also made in our livers and is found in our bloodstreams as part of cholesterol synthesis.

Resources

“Squalene-based adjuvants in vaccines” — World Health Organization