Overview
- Senators Rand Paul and Mike Lee on Feb. 17 introduced the End the Vaccine Carveout Act targeting federal protections that limit vaccine-related lawsuits.
- The bill would let alleged vaccine-injury plaintiffs sue manufacturers directly in state or federal court without first going through the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
- It would also remove COVID-19 vaccines from PREP Act coverage, ending liability immunity for manufacturers, distributors, and administrators for those products.
- Paul and Lee argue current frameworks deny access to jury trials and constitute unconstitutional carveouts, while public health experts warn such changes could undermine vaccine production and distribution.
- Rep. Paul Gosar filed a House companion measure, and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has signaled separate VICP reforms, including reshaping an advisory panel and proposing broader covered injuries.