Vaccine Side Effects

For individuals who are experiencing pain after a vaccination, this pain is not something to be ignored. While a small amount of discomfort at the injection site is normal, severe pain that lasts more than a day or two could be a sign of a serious vaccine-related injury.

From ongoing medical treatment and recovery to missed time from work, dealing with a vaccine-related injury can be expensive. Fortunately, there is a federal government program, known as the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) that provides financial relief for individuals diagnosed with vaccine-related injuries. The VICP also covers claimants’ legal fees separately from their awards of compensation, so hiring a vaccine lawyer can come at no financial cost to you.

Each month, the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) publishes updated statistics on vaccine injury claims under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). The monthly National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Data Report provides up-to-date information on:

• Number of vaccine injury claims filed, compensated and denied;
• Types and amounts of compensation awards issued; and,
• Types of vaccines and vaccine injuries included in claims for compensation.

Like all vaccinations, the annual flu shot carries certain risks. These include the risk of being diagnosed with brachial neuritis or a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA). Learn more from national vaccine attorney Leah V. Durant.

According to preliminary data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this year’s flu shot has been 48 percent effective. Learn more about the effectiveness of the 2016-2017 flu shot and the risk of flu shot-related illnesses and injuries.

Pain following a vaccination could be a sign of a potentially-serious injury or medical condition. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends several vaccinations for both children and adults, the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and others also note several reactions associated with vaccinations. This includes risks that are specific to individual vaccines as well as risks tied to the vaccine administration process.

First licensed in 2003, the live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) nasal spray (sold under the brand name FluMist by MedImmune, a subsidiary of AstraZeneca) was seen as a revolutionary breakthrough. The first of its kind – and still the only nasal spray flu vaccine ever to receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – FluMist became a popular choice for vaccinating children in particular due to its avoidance of the risks associated with vaccine injections. In recent flu seasons, as many as one third of all children who received flu vaccinations received FluMist.

Each year, the federal government receives tens of thousands of reports of vaccine-related illness and injuries.  While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report [f1] that, “the current U.S. vaccine supply is the safest in history,” it is still important to understand that although proven safe and effective, vaccines do not come without risk.

Although the vast majority of individuals who receive flu shots and other vaccinations experience no adverse effects, each year many people experience symptoms, from allergic reactions to

The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is a program that allows vaccine manufacturers, healthcare providers, vaccine recipients and their families to report vaccine injuries. In recent years, reports under VAERS and the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program have both been on the rise.

Should parents have the right to exempt their children from vaccinations for non-medical reasons?

There is an on-going global battle. And while it has been going on relatively low-key for many years in America, a few cases of measles in Disneyland in 2014 thrust the vaccine debate into the public limelight and resulted in legislation banning personal vaccine exemptions in California. Fortunately, philosophical vaccine exemptions are still available in most states—at least for now.

On one side of the battle, there are the people who support strict, unwavering adherence to the standard recommended schedule of childhood vaccinations. In the other camp, there are those who do not.

What new requirements may be imposed on families opposed to vaccination when children enter school or day care?

Parents who choose not to vaccinate the children for religious reasons often encounter resistance from schools and day care facilities. Now the State of Illinois has proposed new rules that would add obstacles for parents seeking to exercise their religious right to refuse vaccinations.

A "Certificate of Religious Exemption" Could Become Mandatory

The Illinois Department of Public Health has proposed that parents be required to obtain a “certificate of religious exemption” if they wish to avoid inoculations. The document would certify that a health care provider examined the child and reviewed with the parent all the benefits of getting vaccinated and the health risks to the both the student and community of refusing a vaccine for a communicable disease.

Parents would need to obtain the certificate for students when they enter kindergarten, sixth grade, and ninth grade, as well as when they are enrolling in a new school or child care program.

Thousands of individuals in the United States experience vaccine injuries every year. Unfortunately, many of these individuals are unaware of their right to seek financial compensation. In this article, we examine some of the statistics on vaccine injuries and provide real-life examples of what can happen when a vaccine causes someone harm.