Here's why only a small fraction of vaccine victims receive
compensation from the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.  By
reducing the time frame for proving onset of the injury, the
administrators facilitate automatic rejection of claims.  The staffers
then make their jobs much easier.  Promote the person who thought of
this!

For allergic reactions to DTP vaccine, they reduced the time cutoff
from 24 hours to only 4 hours.  Likewise for the MMR vaccine.  (And
many vaccine side effects are simply not recognized at all under the
program.)

Check it out for yourself:

Injuries from vaccines.
(adapted from Family Practice News, April 14, 1995)
Pediatrics for Parents, Jan 1995 v15 n1 p7(1)

All parents worry about the side effects of the vaccines their
children receive. Although the vaccines are incredibly safe, and
offer excellent protection from many potentially lethal childhood
diseases, there are a very small number of children who suffer
potentially serious reactions to vaccines.
The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program has defined certain
types of reactions that are considered related to vaccinations.
Children who suffer these reactions are entitled compensation.
Recently the Program has changed its table listing compensable
reactions.
For example, shock with collapse and residual seizure disorder were
removed from the list of compensable reactions to the
diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccination. The time frame for
the onset of allergic reactions to the DTP was shortened from 24
hours to 4 hours.
"Current science tells us that DTP vaccine risk is less than that
suggested by the original table. We view this as an important safety
statement from the federal government," said Geoffrey Evans, M.D.,
chief medical officer of the Division of Vaccine Injury
Compensation, Bureau of Health Professionals.
The time frame for allergic reactions to the measlesmumps-rubella
(MMR) was shortened from 24 hours to 4 hours. The time for seizures
or encephalitis due to the MMR was changed from 15 days to 5 to 15
days. A new reaction was chronic arthritis within 42 days of
administrating any vaccine containing the rubella vaccine.
Vaccines do work -- they help prevent potentially devastating and
lethal childhood diseases. The risk of side effects, some very
significant, to vaccines will always exist. But the protection the
vaccines offer greatly out weigh any risks they pose.
Family Practice News, 4/15/95, p. 18.
Full Text COPYRIGHT 1995 Pediatrics for Parents Inc.


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