In the United States, there are two federal agencies that share primary responsibility for ensuring that vaccines are safe for the public. These are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While the CDC provides vaccine recommendations and general oversight with regard to vaccine safety, the FDA is responsible for determining whether individual vaccines should be authorized for use in the United States at all.
In order to be offered for sale in the United States, vaccines must go through an approval process with the FDA. The CDC only recommends vaccines that have received FDA approval. This approval process typically takes several years, and it involves everything from facility inspections to human trials.
Reviewing the FDA’s List of Approved Vaccines
Currently, there are more than 80 vaccines that have FDA approval. The FDA maintains an updated list of approved vaccines on its website, which can be viewed here: Vaccines Licensed for Use in the United States.
The list includes vaccines from several manufacturers, and the FDA-approved vaccines cover a long list of diseases. This includes the diseases for which the CDC generally recommends vaccination, as well as diseases that present risks for overseas travelers and that present risks for certain individuals under certain other specific circumstances.
While some diseases currently only have one vaccine approved for use in the United States, for many diseases there are multiple vaccine options available. The FDA has also approved multiple variants of some vaccines, with different variants being recommended for different populations. Finally, there are a number of combination vaccines, and these vaccines provide protection against multiple diseases with a single injection.
The diseases for which FDA-approved vaccines currently exist include:
Are There Risks Associated with FDA-Approved Vaccines?
While the FDA approval process is designed to ensure that vaccines are safe and that they provide the protection they are supposed to, FDA approval does not guarantee that a vaccine is risk-free. The same is true of a CDC recommendation. Vaccines can (and do) cause illnesses and injuries; and, while these illnesses and injuries are relatively rare, the risk is important to consider before seeking an immunization. Your doctor can help you decide whether getting any particular vaccine is advisable for you or your child.
For individuals and families who are coping with the effects of vaccine-related illnesses and injuries, financial relief may be available through the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). The VICP provides financial compensation for the costs associated with vaccine illnesses and injuries, and you can hire a vaccine attorney to handle your VICP claim at little or no out-of-pocket cost to you.
Have You or Your Child Been Harmed by an FDA-Approved Vaccine?
If you would like more information about filing a claim under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), we encourage you to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. To speak with vaccine attorney Leah V. Durant in confidence, call 202-800-1711 or request an appointment online today.
Leah Durant Bio
Experienced litigation attorney Leah Durant focuses on representing clients in complex vaccine litigation matters. Leah Durant is the owner and principal attorney of the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, a litigation firm based in Washington, DC. Leah Durant and her staff represent clients and their families who suffer from vaccine-related injuries, adverse vaccine reactions and vaccine-related deaths. The Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC is dedicated to assisting individuals in recovering the highest level of compensation as quickly and efficiently as possible. To learn more, contact vaccine attorney Leah Durant today.