HHS launches vaccine-injury initiatives

The Department of Health and Human Services announced several initiatives to further study vaccine injuries, but public health and vaccine experts caution they will increase mistrust in vaccines. HHS proposes a new National Institutes of Health clinic dedicated to studying and caring for patients experiencing health problems after vaccination; paying physicians for reporting suspected vaccine-related injuries to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System; and requiring electronic health records to capture vaccine-related adverse events. HHS also is modernizing the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System to ease reporting and improve tools available to medical professionals and researchers. Critics say the proposed changes will not have an impact in providing reliable data concerning vaccine adverse events or risk factors. (MedPage Today article, 10/9/26)