60 Minutes: Why COVID Vaccines Aren't Covered by the Vaccine Injury Court
60 Minutes reports that COVID‑19 vaccines are not on the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) Table and instead were covered under the PREP Act, placing claims in the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP), which has received roughly 14,000 COVID‑related claims. Unlike the VICP—a special‑master “vaccine court” funded by a 75‑cent excise tax per recommended childhood vaccine dose that has paid nearly $5 billion to about 12,000 claimants and allows awards such as pain and suffering with a three‑year statute—the CICP is an administrative program with more restrictive eligibility, a one‑year statute of limitations, and narrower relief, leaving families of rare vaccine injuries with fewer avenues for compensation.
📌 Key Facts
- COVID-19 vaccines are not listed on the Vaccine Injury Table of the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) and were instead covered under the PREP Act, placing related claims in the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP).
- Roughly 14,000 claims related to COVID vaccines have been filed with the CICP, per the CBS/60 Minutes report.
- The CICP is an administrative program with a one-year statute of limitations and more restrictive eligibility and remedies than the VICP.
- By contrast, the VICP operates as a judicial special‑master “vaccine court,” has a three-year statute of limitations for many claims, and can award damages such as pain and suffering.
- The VICP is funded by a 75-cent federal excise tax on each recommended childhood vaccine dose.
- Since its inception, the VICP has paid nearly $5 billion to about 12,000 claimants.
📰 Sources (2)
- COVID‑19 vaccines are not on the VICP Vaccine Injury Table and instead have been handled under the PREP Act, placing them in the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP).
- Roughly 14,000 claims have been filed with the CICP related to COVID vaccines, per the CBS/60 Minutes report.
- Key legal and procedural differences: CICP is an administrative program with a one‑year statute of limitations and more restrictive eligibility, while VICP is judicial (special‑master vaccine court) with a three‑year statute and ability to award pain and suffering.
- VICP funding mechanism reiterated: the program is funded by a 75‑cent excise tax per recommended childhood vaccine dose and has paid nearly $5 billion to ~12,000 claimants since inception.