According to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infant flu hospitalizations in several countries are “at least double previous estimates.” Although the list of countries does not include the United States, the study nonetheless sheds light on some important considerations for health care providers and parents domestically. Continue reading
Tag Archives: shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA)
You Have Been Diagnosed with a Vaccine-Related Injury or Illness. What Now?
If you have been diagnosed with Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA), Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), or another vaccine-related injury or illness, understanding the steps to take following your diagnosis will be critical to your health and your financial stability. The treatment options for certain types of vaccine-related injuries and illnesses are limited; and, in order to recover as quickly and fully as possible, you need to make sure you receive appropriate treatment and avoid mistakes that could have negative long-term consequences.
7 Steps to Take Following a Vaccine-Related Injury or Illness Diagnosis
Here are seven steps you can take to protect your health and your legal rights if you have been diagnosed with a vaccine-related injury or illness: Continue reading
Is it SIRVA? Diagnosing Shoulder Pain Following a Vaccination
When you get a flu shot or other vaccination, it is normal to experience mild pain at the injection site. But, what if your pain lingers? What if it gets worse over time? What if you start to experience other effects, such as reduced strength or limited mobility in your shoulder? These are all possible symptoms of a class of injuries known as “shoulder injury related to vaccine administration,” or “SIRVA.”
Unlike other common vaccine injuries, SIRVA do not result from adverse reactions to particular vaccine ingredients. Instead, they result from damage to the muscle or other tissue in the shoulder as a result of mistakes made during the vaccination process. This includes mistakes such as inserting the needle in the wrong location, inserting the needle at the wrong angle and using a needle that is the wrong size for the vaccine recipient’s sex and weight. Continue reading
10 Key Facts about Vaccine Injury Claims
If you have been diagnosed with a vaccine-related injury, including a Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA), you may be entitled to recover your medical expenses and certain other losses under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). Here are 10 key facts about filing a claim under the VICP:
1. The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) is a Federal Initiative Designed to Protect Individuals Diagnosed with Vaccine Injuries.
The VICP is a federal government program that Congress established in 1988 for the sole purpose of making it easier for individuals diagnosed with vaccine injuries to recover financial compensation. Under the VICP, individuals diagnosed with vaccine injuries can collect money from the government instead of filing a lawsuit against the vaccine manufacturer in court. Continue reading
You’ve Been Diagnosed with SIRVA. What Now?
Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) can take a variety of forms, each with its own effects and long-term prognosis. While most people diagnosed with SIRVA will eventually recover, recovery options vary, and a person’s individual health profile can have a significant impact on the challenges, costs and duration of the recovery process.
Under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), a SIRVA diagnosis has both medical and legal implications. While everyone’s circumstances are unique, here are some general steps that can aid in the medical and financial recovery processes: Continue reading
Shoulder Pain After an MMR Vaccine? It Could Be a Sign of SIRVA
The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine has recently been in the news as a result of reports of measles outbreaks in several parts of the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), outbreaks have been reported in California, Illinois, New York, Texas and Washington, with more cases of measles already confirmed in 2019 (269 as of March 14) than all of 2016 and 2017 combined (206).
While the CDC recommends vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella for most individuals (with limited exceptions for pregnant women and individuals with certain other health conditions), “[d]uring an outbreak is when you see an influx of patients who would otherwise be vaccine-hesitant,” according to an infection control nurse in Washington quoted by CNN. Unfortunately, although getting the MMR vaccine can significantly reduce an individual’s risk of contracting measles, it carries certain risks as well. Continue reading
Enduring Shoulder Pain After a Vaccine Injection Isn’t Normal
With vaccine injections, it is normal to experience acute stinging or dull pain that dissipates in the hours following the vaccination. It is not normal for this pain to linger, worsen or spread to other parts of the arm or shoulder. Unfortunately, while this pain is not normal, studies show that it is becoming increasingly common. Continue reading
When is Pain More than Just a Side Effect of a Vaccination?
“Any vaccine can cause side effects.” While all vaccines recommended for use in the U.S. are considered safe for the vast majority of the population (with exceptions for individuals with certain medical conditions), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wants vaccine recipients to be aware that certain side effects are possible.
However, the CDC also warns that, “[a]s with any medicine, there is a very remote chance of a vaccine causing a severe allergic reaction, other serious injury, or death.” Over the past five years, an average of roughly 1,000 people have filed petitions under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). So, while pain may simply be a side effect of a vaccination, it could also be a sign of a potentially-serious injury, and vaccine recipients should have an understanding of when they may need medical attention and when they may be entitled to compensation under the VICP. Continue reading
FDA Approves “Six Vaccines in One”
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new vaccine that is being billed as “six vaccines in one.” As reported by Forbes.com:
“[T]he hexavalent Vaxelis is designed to offer protection against six diseases and significantly reduce the number of shots you need to get as a little kid. Thus, to be fully immunized against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, polio, and invasive haemophilus influenza type B disease, [children] will only have to get three doses of Vaxelis between… turning 6 weeks and turning 5 years old.”
FDA Approves Expanded Use of Gardasil 9 HPV Vaccine
In late 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced expanded approval of the Gardasil 9 human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine. Previously approved for administration to males and females between the ages of 9 and 26, Gardasil 9 is now an approved HPV vaccine for men and women through 45 years of age.
According to the FDA’s press release:
“[The] approval represents an important opportunity to help prevent HPV-related diseases and cancers in a broader age range. . . . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that HPV vaccination prior to becoming infected with the HPV types covered by the vaccine has the potential to prevent more than 90 percent of these cancers, or 31,200 cases every year, from ever developing.”