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HHS Secretary Vows to Overhaul Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Monday his intention to overhaul the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), claiming the program is failing to meet its mandate of fairly and efficiently compensating individuals injured by vaccines.
In a statement on social media, Kennedy declared the VICP “broken” and vowed to fix it. He criticized the program for allegedly neglecting its mission to provide timely compensation to those injured by vaccines. This is not a new stance for Kennedy, who has long been critical of the VICP and has advocated for expanding the program to include adverse events he asserts are linked to vaccines, even if those events are not currently recognized by the program.
Established by Congress in 1986, the VICP is a no-fault system designed to compensate individuals, particularly children and pregnant women, for rare but serious adverse reactions to vaccines. Funded by an excise tax on vaccines, the program offers a streamlined process for compensation, avoiding the need for plaintiffs to prove manufacturer negligence.
Claims are adjudicated in a special court system overseen by government-appointed special masters. While the VICP provides compensation to successful claimants, there are caps on the amounts awarded.
Additionally, the program maintains provisions allowing for lawsuits against manufacturers in other courts.
Kennedy, a known vaccine critic, has previously asserted that the VICP removes incentives for drug companies to prioritize vaccine safety. He reiterated this claim in his recent statement, emphasizing his commitment to ensuring the VICP fulfills its intended purpose.
While he hasn’t detailed specific changes, Kennedy confirmed he is collaborating with Attorney General Pam Bondi on the matter. Earlier this month, he mentioned assembling a team at HHS to work on expanding the VICP, particularly to encompass those claiming injury from COVID-19 vaccines and to potentially extend the statute of limitations for claims.