FEDS - $600 MIL. VACCINE LAWSUITS

Saturday, October 15, 2005 - FreeMarketNews.com

According to the government's own statistics, in this year alone, the Health Resources and Services Administration, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has paid out $57,589,828.07 to individuals and families of individuals who were killed or maimed by vaccinations.

Statistics show that since 1988, when the first payments were made, the total has been over $666 million, including repayment attorney's fees and court costs, in cases where the petitions were denied. The level of complaints has not been enormous, averaging only about 60-70 settlements each year out of between 500 and 1000 petitions, and 150 cases going to adjudication - however given the contention that vaccines are harmless, even these modest numbers raise sizeable questions. Additionaly, if there are regular complications from vaccines it is not at all certain that the individuals or families recognize it; thus many may not have chosen litigation who could have.

Interestingly, the numbers have risen, slowly but steadily, with last year's complete levels nearly doubling those of 2003. Meanwhile, for the as-yet-incomplete 2005, the number of petitions filed is already a little over half of last year's total. The cost to taxpayers cannot be minimized. - ST


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