July 23 (Reuters) - The United States will stop

distributing all influenza vaccines that contain mercury-based

preservative thimerosal, marking the latest move by U.S. Health

Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reshape vaccine policy.

Last month, a vaccine panel with members handpicked by

Kennedy voted in favor of Americans receiving seasonal flu shots

that are free from thimerosal, despite decades of studies

showing no related safety issues.

About 5% of flu shots given in the U.S. in the last flu

season were multi-dose vials that contained the preservative,

which was largely phased out decades ago.

Anti-vaccine groups have for decades linked thimerosal to

autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders, and Kennedy wrote

a book in 2014 in which he advocated for "the immediate removal

of mercury" from vaccines.

The FDA on its website says "there was no evidence that

thimerosal in vaccines was dangerous," and that the decision to

remove it previously was a precautionary measure to decrease

overall exposure to mercury among young infants.

One of the panelists, who voted against the recommendation,

had pointed out that the risk of not receiving the influenza

vaccine because it contains thimerosal is greater than any known

risks of the preservative.

CSL's Afluria, and Flucelvax and Sanofi's

Fluzone include thimerosal in multi-dose versions, according to

the FDA's website.

Kennedy accepted the panel's recommendation, the Department

of Health and Human Services said on Wednesday, in the absence

of the CDC director, who typically signs off on them before they

are implemented.

President Donald Trump's nominee for the CDC director, Susan

Monarez, is yet to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Other recommendations made by the panel, known as the

Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, at a meeting in

June are still under review, the HHS said.

Vaccine manufacturers have confirmed that they have the

capacity to replace multi-dose vials containing the

preservative, ensuring that supplies will not be interrupted,

HHS said.

Sanofi said it acknowledges the new policy and will have

sufficient supply of the flu vaccine this season. CSL did not

immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

(Reporting by Bhanvi Satija and Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru;

Editing by Leroy Leo and Shinjini Ganguli)