Vaccine Court Decision Does Not Change Vaccination Practice

Financial settlement in one case does not prove a causal association between vaccines and autism.

In 1986, Congress passed the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (NCVIA) to ensure an adequate vaccine supply by limiting vaccine manufacturers’ liability for adverse outcomes from recommended vaccines. Provisions of the NCVIA include arbitration and, in some instances, compensation for vaccine-related injuries or death. In a recent highly publicized case, a special vaccine court established by the NCVIA ruled that administration of recommended vaccines might have worsened a child’s underlying mitochondrial disorder and led to autism-like symptoms.

According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services documents released to the Associated Press, the child received five vaccines on 1 day in 2000 at the age of 19 months that aggravated he…

Authors

Martin T. Stein, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardPearson Neuroscience Advisory Board

Speaker’s bureauAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

RoyaltiesElsevier, Inc.

Editorial boardsJournal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

Martin T. Stein, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardPearson Neuroscience Advisory Board

Speaker’s bureauAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

RoyaltiesElsevier, Inc.

Editorial boardsJournal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

Peggy Sue Weintrub, MD