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December 16, 2002
U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS
"Smallpox Vaccine Transmission Raises Liability Issues"
New York Times (www.nytimes.com) (12/16/02) P. A14; Altman, Lawrence K.
A new issue has turned up concerning the administration of the dangerous smallpox vaccine: the question of who would pay for the medical care should a vaccinated person accidentally transmit the virus to someone else. The vaccinated site can shed the virus for several weeks after inoculation. Federal experts such as Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy G. Thompson say that they expect standard health insurance to pay for the medical care, if necessary, but they did not answer the question of what would happen if the infected persons had no health insurance. Some states were worried that workers' compensation would not cover health care workers who became ill from the vaccination, but Thompson adviser Dr. Michael T. Osterholm says that no state program has refused to cover the vaccinations.
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PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS
OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR
LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND
COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH
YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.