The government has decided to take control of a program that compensates individuals who have suffered vaccine-related injuries, following an audit ordered by Health Minister Marjorie Michel due to complaints about the program’s management.
The vaccine injury support program, which started receiving claims in June 2021 after the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Canada, allows individuals who have experienced a “serious and permanent injury” from a Health Canada-authorized vaccine after December 8, 2020, to file a claim.
The administration of the program was previously handled by a third-party administrator, Oxaro, under a contract that expired recently. The Public Health Agency of Canada will now oversee the program, which has been renamed as the vaccine impact assistance program.
Existing claims in the previous program will be automatically transferred to the new one, except for those in Quebec, which has its own compensation system.
The government aims to address the backlog of applications and enhance the consistency and transparency of the claims process, according to a news release.
Data from the program reveals that adverse effects from COVID-19 vaccines in Canada were extremely rare, with only a small percentage of adverse event reports and serious cases reported.
One individual, Kayla Pollock, has claimed to have suffered paralysis after receiving a COVID-19 booster shot, leading to her application for compensation. Despite the severity of her case, her claim is still pending, raising concerns about the efficiency of the program.
Moving forward, the program will be more flexible in terms of eligibility, allowing previously denied claims due to a three-year cutoff to be reviewed, enabling individuals with gradually developed symptoms to seek compensation.
An investigation last year raised questions about Oxaro’s handling of the program, highlighting substantial administrative costs. Following allegations of mismanagement, an audit was accelerated by Health Minister Michel.
Dr. Kumanan Wilson, tasked with analyzing similar programs in other countries, emphasized the importance of operational independence to build trust in vaccine compensation programs.
The program’s statistics show that a significant number of claims have been processed, with approved claims totaling over $21 million in compensation. However, the process of collecting medical records may lead to delays, as indicated on the program’s website.
Overall, the government’s intervention aims to streamline the claims process, improve transparency, and instill confidence in vaccine compensation programs to address concerns and promote public trust in vaccinations.