News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – Washington state is battling its biggest pertussis outbreak in more than three decades, and cuts in local health department budgets are among the factors reported to be complicating the state's response to the epidemic.

(CIDRAP News) – The US Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) sets a lower bar for evidence of vaccine-related harm than would be accepted in civil courts, but that's what it takes for the program to succeed in helping to protect the vaccine supply, according to a report by two Canadian analysts.

(CIDRAP News) – The US Supreme Court today upheld a federal shield law for vaccine makers in its ruling against a Pennsylvania family who claim that a Wyeth vaccine is responsible for their daughter's seizure disorder.

(CIDRAP News) – A federal vaccine advisory group today approved recommendations to fill some gaps in pertussis vaccination as a way to further protect babies who aren't yet fully immunized.