News & Perspective

Editor's note: This story was revised Mar 17 to include additional information about the number of claims filed and processing steps.

(CIDRAP News) – The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has so far received 386 claims of injuries related to the 2009 pandemic H1N1 vaccine and related pandemic countermeasures, HHS officials reported today.

(CIDRAP News) – Coming a month after federal officials released a blueprint for overhauling the nation's civilian biodefense program, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced the award of eight contracts worth up to $100 million to modernize and speed the development of countermeasures against natural and man-made disease threats.

(CIDRAP News) – While the pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine seems to be just as safe as seasonal flu vaccines, the federal government has been getting some letters from people saying they plan to seek compensation for injuries caused by the injection, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

(CIDRAP News) – The US government has granted Protein Sciences Corp. (PSC) of Meriden, Conn., a $35 million contract to develop its technique for making influenza vaccines by growing flu virus proteins in insect cells, an approach said to be faster than traditional methods.