PEDIATRICS Vol. 72 No. 6 December 1983, pp. 822-823
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Impact of Litigation on Immunization of Children

PHILIP A. BRUNELL MD1

1 Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio

There have been an increasing number of lawsuits claiming compensation for injuries related to vaccines. Increased litigation can be expected to result in reluctance on the part of some practitioners to use certain vaccines, consideration in changes in recommendations for immunization, and increased cost of vaccines.

The costs of oral polio vaccine (OPV) and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine have been increased markedly presumably because of litigation. It is estimated that the nearly tenfold increase in DTP vaccine charged by one manufacturer could add approximately $50 million per year to the cost of protecting children against these diseases. Manufacturers have been leaving the vaccine business and now only a few remain.