HHS Withdraws Rule Change Impacting Shoulder Injuries in the Vaccine Compensation Program

 Posted on May 03,2021 in Vaccine Injuries

On April 22, 2021, Health and Human Services (HHS) published the final rule on the Federal Register withdrawing the proposed rule change previously published on January 21, 2021 which would have changed how cases involving shoulder injuries and vasovagal syncope were handled in the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP).

In explaining this action, HHS noted that members of the public had expressed concern that the agency’s process while pursuing the proposed rule removing shoulder injuries and vasovagal syndrome from the Vaccine Injury Table was irregular in its haste. HHS also observed that from a public health policy perspective, removing these injuries from the Vaccine Injury Table may dissuade individuals from undergoing vaccinations, which would be counter to the public’s interest in promoting vaccination. You can find HHS’s full rationale for withdrawing the rule here.

For individuals with shoulder injuries or vasovagal syncope stemming from a vaccine covered under the VICP, the move by HHS to withdraw the proposed Table amendment is good news and means that these vaccine injury cases can continue to be pursued as before.

The attorneys at the Vaccine Injury Law Project continue to represent similarly injured individuals in the VICP and if you think you have suffered a vaccine injury, please give us a call or simply click here.