New Research: How the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Protects American Families and U.S. Vaccine Access
WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 7, 2026) The Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease (PFID) today released research about the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), the federal process that keeps vaccines affordable and accessible by providing a fair, efficient alternative to litigation when rare injuries occur.
As proposals and federal actions threaten to destabilize the policies and legal frameworks that underpin U.S. vaccine access, the policy white paper – “Protecting the Promise: How the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Sustains Vaccine Access, Affordability, and Innovation” – examines why preserving and strengthening VICP is essential to sustaining supply and protecting American families.
“The VICP is one of the most important, but least understood, public health programs that the federal government operates today,” said Candace DeMatteis, PFID Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, who moderated a Congressional briefing on VICP this year. “For nearly 40 years, it has compensated people when rare injuries occur while keeping vaccines available and affordable for everyone. Disrupting that balance now, at a moment when vaccine access and public trust are already under unprecedented strain, would be a serious step backward for Americans’ health.”
Key Research Findings
Routine childhood vaccinations in the VICP era have prevented an estimated 508 million illnesses, more than 1 million deaths, and generated $2.7 trillion in societal savings.
Vaccine injuries are real, but extremely rare. From 2006-24, more than 5.65 billion doses of VICP-covered vaccines were distributed – and fewer than two injuries per million doses required compensation.
When harm does occur, VICP ensures families have a clear, accessible path to relief, with more than $5.6 billion paid out to date.
VICP turns 40 this year, but it faces increasing strain: Claims that once took months now take significantly longer due to resource constraints. Newer vaccines, including those for RSV and mRNA-based flu shots, remain outside VICP's protections without Congressional action.
Bipartisan legislation before Congress would strengthen VICP by updating compensation limits, addressing resource constraints, and expanding coverage to newer vaccines. But other federal proposals and rhetoric threaten to upend the program's careful balance – putting protections at risk and potentially reigniting litigation and supply disruptions VICP was built to end.
Click HERE to read the full research report.
For more details on the VICP:
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About the Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease
The Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease (PFID) is a group of patients, providers, community organizations, academic researchers, business and labor groups, and infectious disease experts working to raise awareness of threats posed by infectious disease.
Media Contact:
Jennifer Burke
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