True North Report
A federal program to compensate families of Canadians who have suffered injuries or deaths from COVID-19 vaccines is budgeted to run at least five years, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.
“A total of $75 million in funding has been earmarked for the first five years of the program,” said a memo from Health Canada. “The overall cost of the program is dependent on the volume of claims and compensation awarded over time.”
Injury from vaccination was rare but not unprecedented, it added.
The memo said that expenses available under the Vaccine Injury Support Program include administration costs and financial supports for eligible applicants.
About 32.4 million Canadians have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine.
Health Canada senior medical advisor Dr. Supirya Sharma said in December that the long-term effects of the vaccines were unknown.
“The benefits outweigh the potential risks, but it is still a drug and still a vaccine and there are potential risks even if they’re rare,” said Sharma. “That’s why we continue to monitor it.”
Health Canada confirmed that their adverse reaction reports include 306 deaths, 123 cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, 78 miscarriages, 57 acute kidney injuries and 47 heart attacks. The most common serious side effect was myocarditis, affecting 1,886 people.
High rates of myocarditis prompted the National Advisory Committee on Immunization to issue an update recommendation in December, stating males aged 12 to 29 years old should not take the Moderna vaccine. The recommendation said that reports of myocarditis typically involved 27-year-old men.
The health department also said it is unsure how many compensation claims are expected under the Vaccine Injury Support Program.
Funeral expenses, said the memo, will be covered.
“Eligible individuals may receive income replacement indemnities, injury indemnities, death benefits, coverage for funeral expenses and reimbursement of eligible costs such as otherwise uncovered medical expenses,” it said.
Management of the program was contracted to Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton Consulting Group.
The Vaccine Injury Support Program began accepting applications in June 2021.
“Only vaccines that are proven to be safe, effective and of high quality are approved for use in Canada,” said Health Canada. “As with all vaccines and any medication, there’s a chance that there will be a serious side effect.”
