US announces program to study claimed vaccine injuries — Ars Technica
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a large-scale federal initiative to study and record health problems that patients associate with vaccination. It provides for the work of a specialized clinic, a proposal to compensate doctors for submitting reports to the VAERS system, updates to that system, and the inclusion of information on claimed cases in electronic medical records.
As Ars Technica reports, a clinic to study and treat patients with health problems after vaccination has already opened at the US National Institutes of Health. It began operating on October 5. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attended the opening ceremony.
Changes to VAERS
One area of the initiative is a proposal to compensate doctors for submitting reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, VAERS, which is run by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HHS said this should reduce barriers to healthcare professionals reporting suspected adverse events after vaccinations.
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VAERS is intended for the early detection of possible signals concerning vaccine safety. Anyone, including members of the public, can submit a report, and reports do not undergo prior verification. The CDC analyzes these data, and most registered reports, according to the publication, have no causal link to vaccination.
Electronic medical records
As part of the initiative, HHS also plans to make VAERS simpler and more accessible, including by adapting the system for mobile devices and adding tools for researchers. The CDC has already awarded a contract worth nearly $1 million to Virginia-based technology company SPN Solutions Inc.
Separately, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology is to ensure that electronic medical records include information on claimed injuries associated with vaccination. Kennedy said the administration seeks to take into account reports from patients and families and use the data obtained to improve vaccine safety.
