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Acclaimed actor Robert De Niro and chairman of World Mercury Project Robert Kennedy Jr. claim that vaccines that contain mercury are not safe for children. During a press conference held on Wednesday De Niro and Kennedy Jr. have challenged any individual that can prove that the vaccines are safe by offering an amount of $100,000 to any individual that can provide proof.

De Niro and Kennedy said vaccines that contain thimerosal are dangerous as it may lead to autism in children and pregnant mothers. The topic has already been the subject of many debates and researches and Kennedy Jr. calls for a thorough debate.

Kennedy said $100,000 would be given to the first journalist or individual who can show a peer reviewed study based on scientific reasoning that says the amount of thimerosal that is currently used in vaccines are safe.

According to New York Daily News, at the press conference Kennedy said the government is telling pregnant women to avoid mercury-laced fish so thath they don't harm their fetuses. On the other hand, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention support injecting vaccines that contain mercury into pregnant women, ifants and children.

De Niro has a son, Elliot, who has autism which is the reason for his criticism on vaccines that contain mercury. "There's something here [with mercury in vaccines] that's not being addressed for some reason," said De Niro. He added "so I'm trying to help raise that profile of the situation."

According to Tech Times thimerosal is an organic compound that contains mercury, which is used for preservation purposes. Vaccines manufacturers stopped using thimerosal since 1999. By 2001 all vaccines for children were free from thimerosal.

Although a few vaccines for flu still contain thimerosal, there is no evidence that pregnant women who were given the flu vaccines gave birth to autistic children. An FDA study in 1999 found that thimerosal use in vaccines posed no harm but it was not sufficient to convince Kennedy and his team at the World Mercury Project. Kennedy said that he is not anti-vaccine but just opposes the use of mercury in them.