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Senate Judiciary reviews narrow liability protection for vaccine providers in H.545; calls for transparency questions
Summary
The Senate Judiciary Committee reviewed language in H.545 that would give limited liability protection to health‑care providers who administer vaccines consistent with the health commissioner’s recommendation. Testimony focused on whether patients should be notified if a vaccine remains on a state schedule after removal from the federal schedule and on existing compensation pathways.
The Senate Judiciary Committee met Feb. 12 to review a narrow portion of H.545 that would protect health‑care providers from civil liability for administering immunizations in accordance with the state health commissioner’s recommendations, unless the provider acted recklessly, grossly negligently or with intentional misconduct.
Allison Despati, who identified herself as co‑director of "Health Church Vermont" and said she represents roughly 5,000 Vermonters, urged the committee to consider transparency measures if Vermont adopts a schedule that differs from the federal schedule. Despati described the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act and the resulting National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), and said that if a vaccine were removed from the federal schedule but retained by the state, injured patients might…
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