Update on the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program

• Published in: The Journal of emergency medicine Vol. 33; no. 2; pp. 199 - 211
• Main Authors: Edlich, Richard F., MD, PHD, Olson, Dana M, Olson, Brianna M, Greene, Jill Amanda, Gubler, K. Dean, DO, MPH, Winters, Kathryne L, Kelley, Angela R, Britt, L.D., MD, MPH, Long, William B., MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.08.2007
• Subjects: Adolescent; Autistic Disorder - chemically induced; Autistic Disorder - economics; Child; Child, Preschool; Compensation and Redress - legislation & jurisprudence; Emergency; Humans; Infant; Mandatory Programs - legislation & jurisprudence; Mass Vaccination - adverse effects; Mass Vaccination - legislation & jurisprudence; Patient Education as Topic - legislation & jurisprudence; Patient Rights; Preservatives, Pharmaceutical - adverse effects; thimerosal; Thimerosal - adverse effects; Thimerosal - economics; Truth Disclosure; United States; Vaccine Injury Compensation Program; Vaccines - adverse effects; Vaccines - economics; United States; Vaccine Injury Compensation Program; thimerosal
• ISSN: 0736-4679; 2352-5029
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2007.01.001

Abstract The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, as amended, established the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). The VICP went into effect on October 1, 1988 and is a Federal “no-fault” system designed to compensate individuals, or families of individuals, who have been injured by covered vaccines. From 1988 until July 2006, a total of 2531 non-autism/thimerosal and 5030 autism/thimerosal claims were made to the VICP. The compensation paid for the non-autism/thimerosal claims from 1988 until 2006 was $902,519,103.37 for 2542 awards. There was no compensation for any of the autism/thimerosal claims. On the basis of the deaths and extensive suffering to patients and families from the adverse reactions to vaccines, all physicians must provide detailed information in the Vaccine Information Statement to the patient or the parent or legal guardian of the child about the potential dangers of vaccines as well as the VICP.