Performance of the United States Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP): 1988-2019

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Kimberly M. Thompson, Kid Risk Inc; Walter Orenstein, Emory University; Alan Hinman, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2020-02-24
• Publisher: Elsevier Science Ltd.
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.01.042
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Vaccine
• Volume: 38
• Issue: 9
• Start Page: 2136
• End Page: 2143
• Grant/Funding Information: The lead author acknowledges support from Cooperative Agreement Number 5NU2RGH001913-03-00 funded by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Keywords: Vaccine; Safety; Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP); Research & Experimental Medicine; Injury compensation; Medicine, Research & Experimental; Immunology
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Health Care Management; Health Sciences, Public Health; Health Sciences, Epidemiology

Abstract

The United States (US) highly values the individual and societal benefits of vaccination and invests significantly in vaccine development and use as part of its national vaccine enterprise. In 1986, recognizing the small, but non-zero risks associated with vaccines, the US created a mechanism to collect excise taxes on each dose of vaccine to fund a national Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). The VICP includes a system for those claiming serious injuries from vaccines to seek compensation, and a process to pay individuals with legitimate claims and their legal counsel. Given the maturity of the VICP, we review experience with the vaccines and injuries covered, claims, and economics of the fund. Our review shows the excellent safety track record of vaccines, provides some evidence of injuries related specifically to vaccine delivery, and discusses the financial health of the fund.