The following information is from Children’s Health Defense.
A new bill introduced in the US House of Representatives aims to end the special protections that vaccine manufacturers currently have against injury claims. House Bill 9828, co-sponsored by 30 Republican lawmakers, seeks to remove the legal immunity provided to vaccine makers under the 1986 Childhood Vaccine Injury Act. This change would allow people injured by vaccines listed on the CDC’s Childhood Immunization Schedule to hold manufacturers accountable.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., founder and chairman on leave of Children’s Health Defense, supports the bill, stating that eliminating this liability protection is necessary to ensure vaccine safety. React19, The American Family Project, and other groups have also expressed their support for this legislative move.
Brianne Dressen, who suffered a severe COVID-19 vaccine injury during AstraZeneca’s clinical trial, announced the bill’s introduction, emphasizing the need for a fair compensation process and for drug companies to take responsibility for their products.
For more details, read the full article here.
Read the full text of the bill here or below.
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to end the liability shield for vaccine manufacturers, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “End the Vaccine Carveout Act”.
SEC. 2. ENDING LIABILITY SHIELD FOR VACCINE MANUFACTURERS.
(a) National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.—
- Petitions for Compensation. Section 2111 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300aa–11) is amended:
- In subsection (a):
- By striking paragraphs (2), (3), (5), and (6).
- By inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
- “(2) Beginning on the date of enactment of the End the Vaccine Carveout Act, and subject to paragraph (4)(B), irrespective of whether a person has filed a petition for compensation under the Program in relation to a vaccine-related injury or death, such person may bring a civil action against a vaccine administrator or manufacturer in a State or Federal court for damages arising from such injury or death.”
- By redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (3).
- By redesignating paragraphs (7) through (10) as paragraphs (4) through (7), respectively.
- By amending paragraph (4) (as so redesignated) to read as follows:
- “(4)(A) If in a civil action brought against a vaccine administrator or manufacturer for a vaccine-related injury or death, damages are awarded under a judgment of a court or a settlement of such action, the person who brought such action may not file a petition under subsection (b) for such injury or death, and any pending petition for such injury or death shall be dismissed.
- (B) If compensation is awarded for a petition filed under the Program for a vaccine-related injury or death, the person who filed such petition may not bring a civil action against a vaccine administrator or manufacturer for such injury or death, and any pending civil action for such injury or death shall be dismissed.”
- In subsection (c)(1)(B)(i)(III), by striking “not later than 6 months”.
- In subsection (a):
- Limitations of Actions. Section 2116 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300aa–16) is amended:
- In subsection (a):
- In paragraph (2), by striking “no petition may be filed for compensation under the Program for such injury after the expiration of 36 months after the date of the occurrence of the first symptom or manifestation of onset or of the significant aggravation of such injury” and inserting “unless prohibited by section 2111(a)(4)(A), a petition may be filed for compensation under the Program for such injury at any time”.
- In paragraph (3), by striking “no petition may be filed for compensation under the Program for such death after the expiration of 24 months from the date of the death and no such petition may be filed more than 48 months after the date of the occurrence of the first symptom or manifestation of onset or of the significant aggravation of the injury from which the death resulted” and inserting “unless prohibited by section 2111(a)(4)(A), a petition may be filed for compensation under the Program for such death at any time”.
- In subsection (b):
- By striking “notwithstanding section 2111(b)(2)” and inserting “notwithstanding section 2111(b)(2), and unless prohibited by section 2111(a)(4)(A)”.
- By striking “not later than 2 years after the effective date of the revision” and inserting “at any time”.
- By striking “table if—” and inserting “table if such vaccine-related injury or death occurred before the effective date of this part.”
- By striking paragraphs (1) and (2).
- In subsection (a):
- Repeals.
- (A) Election. Section 2121(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300aa–21(a)) is repealed.
- (B) Standards of Responsibility. Section 2122 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300aa–22) is repealed.
- (C) Trial. Section 2123 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300aa–23) is repealed.
- Conforming Amendments.
- (A) Attorneys’ Fees. Section 2115(e) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300aa–15(e)) is amended:
- By striking paragraph (2).
- By redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2).
- (B) Payment of Compensation. Section 2115(f) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300aa–15(f)) is amended:
- By striking paragraph (1).
- By redesignating paragraphs (2) through (4) as paragraphs (1) through (3), respectively.
- In paragraph (1) (as so redesignated), by striking “Such compensation may not be paid after an election under section 2121(a) to file a civil action for damages for the vaccine-related injury or death for which such compensation was awarded.”
- In paragraph (3)(B) (as so redesignated), by striking “If the appropriations under subsection (j) are insufficient to make a payment of an annual installment, the limitation on civil actions prescribed by section 2121(a) shall not apply to a civil action for damages brought by the petitioner entitled to the payment.”
- (C) State Limitations of Actions. Section 2116(c) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300aa–16(c)) is amended by striking “an election is made under section 2121(a) to file the civil action” and inserting “judgment is entered by the United States Court of Federal Claims (or, if an appeal is taken under section 2112(f), the appellate court’s mandate is issued) with respect to the petition”.
- (D) Termination of Program. Section 2134(b)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300aa–34(b)(1)) is amended:
- By striking “and accepted under section 2121(a)”.
- By striking “Section 2111(a) and part B shall not apply to civil actions for damages for a vaccine-related injury or death for which a petition may not be filed because of subparagraph (B).”
- (A) Attorneys’ Fees. Section 2115(e) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300aa–15(e)) is amended:
(b) Excluding COVID-19 Vaccines from Definition of Covered Countermeasure. Section 319F–3(i)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d–6d(i)(1)) is amended to read as follows:
- “(1) Covered Countermeasure.—The term ‘covered countermeasure’—
- (A) means—
- (i) a qualified pandemic or epidemic product (as defined in paragraph (7));
- (ii) a security countermeasure (as defined in section 319F–2(c)(1)(B));
- (iii) a drug (as such term is defined in section 201(g)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321(g)(1)), biological product (as such term is defined by section 351(i) of this Act), or device (as such term is defined by section 201(h) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321(h)) that is authorized for emergency use in accordance with section 564, 564A, or 564B of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; or
- (iv) a respiratory protective device that is approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health under part 84 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulations), and that the Secretary determines to be a priority for use during a public health emergency declared under section 319;
- (B) does not include any vaccine used to mitigate, prevent, or treat COVID–19.”
- (A) means—

While I support the overall bill, there is one big glaring problem. Pages 8-9 allow for the removal of C19 vaccines from the CICP. Question, where is the Sec’y of HHS to place the litigation of these vaccines. It is not designated. I would hope that they are moved into the NVICP. If they are left open, without any legal immunity, Pharma, Pfizer, Moderna will not allow this bill to move forward. The bill would be DOA. Filing a state civil lawsuit for injury is not going forward in any court. That is the legal morass we face.
Thank you for bringing this bill to light, Sharyl. The public needs to know about it. Mr. Rohde has a valid point. If a bill is going to be passed, it must be targeted, unambiguous and enforceable. Otherwise it is a waste of time.
Good start but the PREP Act liability shield needs to be repealed also. Right now, the Sec. of HHS, RFK Jr. has the authority to simply declare the end of the shield for Covid vaccines and he isn’t doing it.