Some vaccines and other medicines contain chemicals called adjuvants to help stimulate the production of immunity against the vaccine ingredients, making the vaccine more effective. The word ‘adjuvant’ is derived from the Latin word ‘adjuvare’ which means ‘to help’.
Aluminum salts have frequently been incorporated as adjuvants in vaccines licensed for use in the United States and elsewhere.
There are other adjuvants incorporated in vaccines licensed in other countries and there are other adjuvants used in other medications (which are not vaccines) that have been licensed in the United States. It is likely that other adjuvants will be incorporated in a number of new vaccines currently being tested for use in the United States.