Shoenfeld and co-workers working in Israel identified a disease they termed autoimmune autoinflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA). In 2017, Ameratunga and co-workers identified two studies refuting this claim. In one study, the hepatitis B vaccine containing an aluminum adjuvant did not exacerbate symptoms in patients with systemic lupus. A second study evaluated the incidence of autoimmune disease in more than 18,000 patients who received subcutaneous allergen-specific immunotherapy containing large quantities of injected aluminum adjuvants. Patients receiving injected aluminum were found to have a lower incidence of autoimmune disease compared with controls. The authors concluded that current studies do not support the existence of ASIA.

Other studies listed below show how aluminum in vaccines is well within the limit of safety determined by the Agency for Toxic Substance Disease Registry. For more information about the aluminum in vaccines, visit the vaccine ingredients-aluminum section of our website.

Reference

Ameratunga R, Gills D, Gold M, et al.  Evidence refuting the existence of autoimmune/autoinflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA). J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 2017;5:1551-1555.
The authors identified two studies refuting the claim for autoimmune/autoinflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) as suggested by Shoenfeld and co-workers. In one study, lupus patients were found to have no increase in exacerbations after receiving a hepatitis B vaccine containing an aluminum adjuvant. A second study evaluated the incidence of autoimmune disease in more than 18,000 patients who received subcutaneous allergen-specific immunotherapy containing large quantities of injected aluminum. Patients receiving injected aluminum were found to have a lower incidence of autoimmune disease compared with controls. The authors concluded that current studies do not support the existence of ASIA.