By the close of the year, the Government is expected to sanction a plan for dealing with damages caused by vaccines, although previous attempts have been delayed. A forthcoming ex-gratia package will cater to the minimal proportion of individuals who display a severe negative reaction after vaccine administration. This is to be based on analogous schemes currently in operation in the UK, France, Finland and other regions. The plan, as described by a well-informed source, is led by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and hinges on several vaccination programmes implemented by the State, many relying on a ‘herd immunity’ approach to safeguard the public and consequently demanding widespread participation.
Despite rigorous testing and proper production and distribution methods, there could still be rare instances of adverse reactions to vaccinations. The source also pointed out an ethical obligation of the Government, as they promote vaccines, to take responsibility for the minor fraction of people who experience harm.
A mechanism known as the Vaccine Solidarity Scheme would deal with moderate to harsh negative reactions, and a board consisting of legal and medical professionals is proposed to be set up under Mr Donnelly’s plan for processing lodged claims. Typically, efforts to seek compensation for such incidents would entail costly and protracted legal battles, which may also result in significant legal expenditure for the State.
This forthcoming scheme targets to accommodate the adverse incidents arising from vaccines administered by the State, including those for Covid, flu, MMR, and a range of childhood and school-age immunisations. A representative from the Department of Health divulges that a final proposal for the vaccine solidarity or damage scheme has been drafted and awaits approval. “We have put forward the proposal to the Department of Public Expenditure for its review. We are hopeful to present it for Government deliberation in the coming autumn.”
In 2020, an expert team chaired by Mr Justice Charles Meenan released a report on the management of medical negligence claims, advocating the launch of an ex-gratia plan to cater to individuals suffering moderate to severe reactions from vaccination programmes.
Vaccination-related adverse reactions are uncommon, as stated by the American Centre for Disease Control. Severe allergic responses to influenza injections, for instance, are scarce, although there is a slight chance of a connection with more serious afflictions such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, a neurological disorder, which occurs in about one or two individuals in a million vaccinated population.
In 2021, a ruling by Mr Donnelly dismissed the idea of generating a dedicated programme for claims associated with the Covid-19 vaccine. Instead, he emphasised that plans for an encompassing compensation scheme were being developed. The previous summer, initial examinations were conducted by the Department of Health, and Coalition insiders highlighted the scheme’s importance.
Contrarily, previous plans did not progress as per the statement by the Department of Health last year, attributing this to the allocation of resources towards Covid-19 public health measures. During the pandemic, all available resources of the Department of Health were committed to responding to public health requirements. This resulted in the suspension of further work on the vaccine-damage compensation scheme.