Vaccine Injury

Vaccinations for diseases and infections such as chickenpox, flu, Hepatitis B and HPV play an important role in today’s society. Unfortunately, many vaccines carry their own risks for serious injuries and complications. In this article, we highlight some of the risks associated with America’s most common vaccinations.

How to Recognize the signs of a vaccine injury and when to seek legal help with no financial cost to you.

Under current laws, the decision to exempt one’s child from the rigid and questionably-safe recommended vaccination schedule is to be kept confidential and personal. However, if Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has its way, public schools will be required to publicly reveal this information to all parents and guardians with children enrolled in a particular district – a maneuver that, depending upon your viewpoint, provides necessary health information or is calculated to bring shame and public ridicule upon parents choosing to forego vaccinating their children.

Years ago, the federal government set up a trust containing funds earmarked for those injured by vaccines. The fund, known as the Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund, is seen by many as government confirmation that vaccines do indeed cause physical harm to children and adults – and victims should be compensated accordingly. As one congressman recently asserted, there may be more to the story than meets the eye (and the media).

Following a string of injury reports, a group known as the European Medicines Agency has announced its intentions to take a closer look at the vaccine used to prevent HPV – a condition known to cause cervical cancer.

As we recently reported, California recently became one of the first states to do away with personal exemptions for families wishing to refrain from vaccinating their children prior to enrollment in the public school system. The decision, which sent shockwaves through the nation as an unrestrained exercise in government over-reach, was met with strenuous objections from parents wishing to wait or withhold vaccination all together. Fortunately, however, not every state has opted to take the same route, and states like Oregon and Washington recently struck down similar measures by lawmakers looking to add a similar – possibly unconstitutional – mandate to their codebooks.

Can a state require my child to get a meningitis vaccine?

Bacterial meningitis is a highly-contagious, life-threatening condition easily spread between individuals living in close quarters (like dormitories). Historically, public universities and colleges mandated this under-studied vaccine for any new enrollee, and would decline admission to any student refusing to submit to the three-part series of inoculations.

What is the AMA’s stance on opting out of routine vaccinations for newborns and children?

In June, 2015, the American Medical Association took an official stance on the notion of parents conscientiously opting out of the traditional vaccine schedule. While this is not necessarily surprising, it could trigger a ripple effect against the informed vaccination rights many advocates have worked so hard to establish – particularly if state legislatures place great weight on this group’s position.

Why are some Californians against SB 277?

In response to a recent measles outbreak at Disneyland, a bill designated SB 277 has been presented to California’s state legislature to eliminate an exemption to mandatory vaccine rules.  The bill also sets a schedule for measles, mumps, and rubella vaccinations.  Presently, parents can opt out of these vaccinations if they have a personal, religious, or medical reason. 

Is ADEM related to vaccinations?

ADEM, or Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis, is a rare autoimmune disease resulting in rapid fever, loss of consciousness, and widespread inflammation of the nervous system.  Many of its symptoms are similar to Multiple Sclerosis.  Although rare, it is associated with complications resulting from vaccinations in children, teens, and adults.

What is Guillain-Barre Syndrome?

Guillain-Barre Syndrome, or GBS, is a rare disorder in which a person’s immune system damages his or her nervous system, causing muscle weakness and, sometimes, paralysis.  It can lead to long-term nerve damage and, in very rare instances, death, usually due to difficulty breathing.  An estimated 3,000-6,000 people contract GBS in the United States each year.