National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program

Did you know the U.S. has a national program to compensate individuals injured by routine vaccinations?

Despite the fact, in 1986, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) established the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP) in an effort to promptly compensate individuals injured by routine vaccinations, the majority of people still do not know of the programs existence.  It could be that no one is to blame, but recent comments made by individuals inside the program voicing concerns that claims will only take longer to process if the program were more widely publicized causes some of us pause.

Vaccines Covered

While the NVICP does not cover all vaccines; it does include vaccines routinely given to children as part of the recommended immunization schedule, as well as some adult vaccines. Click here for a full list of covered vaccines. In addition the lack of public awareness of the program, statistics also show that despite the fact that the program has a 240-day target for resolution of claims, less than 7% have met this target, with a number of claimants dying before resolution of their claim. Read the full story here.

According to investigative reports, physicians inside the Health Resources and Services Administration have said they would take steps to publicize the program more, including using “plain language” in its literature, improving its website, and utilization of target promotion to “health care providers, parents and expectant parents, adults aged 50 years and older (including Spanish-speaking older adults), and civil litigation and health attorneys.  Let’s hope these measures are truly implemented so that the public can be better informed of the benefits available to them.

We are here to help

If you or a loved one have been injured by a routine vaccination, we are here, in Wichita, to assist you. Contact us online or call us at 316-265-6000 for a free, no obligation consultation.