A member of Congress proposed the Let Injured Americans Be Legally Empowered (Liable) Act, which would allow Americans to retroactively sue COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers for alleged vaccine injuries. News about the proposed bill has been widely circulated and celebrated among vaccine skeptics.
Messaging may explain that the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act of 2005 provides legal immunity to entities involved in countermeasures (e.g., vaccine production) during public health emergencies (e.g., a pandemic), except in cases of willful misconduct. Under the PREP Act, those injured by emergency countermeasures and their families can seek compensation. As of January 2024, 40 COVID-19 claims have been found eligible for compensation. Claims found ineligible failed to provide medical evidence or proof of injury, missed filing deadlines, or were for products not covered by COVID-19 CICP (i.e., not COVID-19 vaccines). Talking points may reiterate the well-established safety of COVID-19 vaccines.
