Vaccine Injury Compensation Program

The annual flu shot: Is it worth it? While federal, state and local health authorities recommend that most people get a flu shot each year, it has also been widely publicized that the flu shot’s vaccine effectiveness (VE) rating has not been particularly high in recent years. After peaking at 60 percent effectiveness during the 2010-2011 flu season, the flu shot’s VE rating dropped to just 19 percent four years later, and it has not been above 50 percent since the 2013-2014 season.

According to the September 1, 2020 Data & Statistics report from the U.S.

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.

For individuals who are allergic to gelatin or egg protein, getting immunized with certain vaccines can carry the risk of anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic (or “hypersensitivity”) reaction; and, while it is rare overall, it presents a significant concern for individuals who have these allergies. As a result, prior to getting vaccinated, individuals who have gelatin or egg protein allergies should consult with their physicians to determine whether it is safe to do so.

Which Vaccines Contain Gelatin?

Gelatin is used as a preservative in various vaccine formulations. For example, gelatin may be present in vaccines including (but not limited to) those used to prevent:

• Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP)

• Influenza (nasal spray formulations)

• Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and the separate vaccinations for each of these diseases

• Rabies

• Singles

• Varicella (chickenpox)

Which Vaccines Contain Egg Protein?

Egg protein is used in the production of certain vaccines.

If your child has had an adverse reaction to the flu shot or any other vaccination, there are a few steps you will want to take to ensure your child’s wellbeing and to make sure your family has the financial resources it needs to manage the costs of your child’s illness or injury. Here, national vaccine lawyer Leah V. Durant explains what parents need to know:

1. Seek Medical Attention for Your Child Promptly

All vaccines have potential side effects; and, for many vaccines, the risk of side effects is particularly high among children. However, in some cases, what appear to be side effects can actually be symptoms of a potentially-serious

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend the annual flu shot for most people. According to the CDC’s data, the flu shot prevents millions of recipients from getting influenza each year, and tens of thousands of people avoid influenza-associated hospitalizations as a result of getting vaccinated.

There are right and wrong ways to administer vaccines. Although giving someone a flu shot may seem like a fairly straightforward process, mistakes during immunizations are common, and these mistakes often lead to a class of injuries known as Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA). One of the most-common mistakes that can lead to SIRVA is inserting the needle too high on the patient’s arm.

What is the Proper Location for Administering a Flu Shot?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides guidelines for proper administration in a book titled, Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, also known as the “Pink Book.” The Pink Book

Every so often, the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) makes changes to the Vaccine Injury Table. The HRSA has made a couple of major changes in recent years, adding Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) resulting from flu shots and shoulder injuries related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) resulting from most of the “on-table” vaccines.

Recently, the HRSA announced that it is preparing to adopt another significant revision.

For individuals with questions about vaccines, Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) are a good place to find reliable information. Vaccine Information Statements are documents published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that, “inform vaccine recipients – or their parents or legal representatives – about the benefits and risks of a vaccine they are receiving.