Three additional COVID-19 vaccine injuries have met the bar for compensation, U.S. authorities announced Oct. 20.
One is the result of severe allergic shock. The five others are the result of myocarditis, a form of heart inflammation.
Due to the invocation of an emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 vaccine injury claims must be made to the CICP, rather than a different program called the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP).
Some COVID-19 therapies are also covered by the program.
Forty-eight claims have been denied because they did not meet the standard proof of causation bar and/or the injury sustained is not covered, the administration official said.
VICP Claims Drop
Many more claims are being made to the CICP than to the VICP, which was created in the 1980s to shield vaccine manufacturers from lawsuits.In fiscal year 2021, 2,057 claims were lodged with the VICP. U.S. authorities paid about $203 million to resolve claims, and another $36 million for fees to attorneys representing injured people.
In fiscal year 2022, just 995 claims were filed. That led to payments of nearly $196 million, as well as an additional $34.2 million to lawyers.
VICP has a gigantic backlog. There are more than 1,500 claims still awaiting review.