Law Offices of Leah V. Durant Speak Out against Proposed Change to U.S. Vaccine Policy

WASHINGTON, April 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant PLLC applauded a newly released open letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar from noted orthopedic surgeon Uma Srikumaran, that criticizes a proposed rule that would remove Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration from the list of injuries covered by the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

"The federal government has long acknowledged that routine vaccines, including the annual flu shot, can cause severe shoulder injuries in rare cases," said Leah Durant, principal at the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant PLLC. "Preventing those who have been injured by vaccines from seeking the compensation they're entitled to could discourage people from getting vaccinated -- to the detriment of public health."

Congress created the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program to compensate individuals for certain vaccine-related injuries. Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration, or SIRVA, was added to the list of eligible injuries in 2017. SIRVA can result in rotator cuff tears, bursitis, tendinitis, paresthesia, and other symptoms that can require painful surgeries or other invasive therapies.

In February, the Department of Health and Human Services unveiled a proposed rule to prevent people who have suffered SIRVA from seeking compensation. It's the first time federal officials have proposed removing an injury from the Vaccine Program. Today, SIRVA accounts for more than half of all claims filed. In the past decade, thousands of people have received compensation for shoulder injuries.

Dr. Srikumaran, who heads the Shoulder Fellowship program at Johns Hopkins, argues that the proposed rule could drive up the cost of delivering vaccines and reduce the number of people willing to administer them.

"The program was created specifically to overcome the limitations and difficulties of civil litigation as well as the ramification of increased litigation against pharmaceutical companies," Srikumaran wrote in his letter to Azar. "Considering the current COVID pandemic crisis, shifting the risk to private providers and pharmaceutical companies does not seem to be a reasonable proposal."

For more information or to speak with a representative of The Law Offices of Leah V. Durant PLLC, please contact Micah Ezekiel at 202-471-4228 ext. 118 or [email protected].

About the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant PLLC
Founded by a SIRVA survivor, the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant PLLC has been successful in helping hundreds of individuals obtain financial compensation for cases of SIRVA linked to vaccines. To learn more about how to combat this proposed rule, contact the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant PLLC, or visit our website today: www.vaccinelaw.com.

SOURCE Law Offices of Leah V. Durant PLLC