WHO advisor pushes for vaccine compensation scheme

A vaccine uptake specialist says the possibility that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine causes a rare blood clotting condition highlights why Australia needs a vaccine compensation scheme.

There are already compensation schemes for vaccine injuries operating in 25 countries, including the US and Britain.

Professor of Social Science at Sydney University, Julie Leask, who is also an advisor to the World Health Organisation on improving vaccine uptake, says the scheme would be “insurance against a rare, serious vaccine reaction”.

Professor Leask says a US-style scheme, which imposes a levy on vaccine producers, is preferable.

“They gather a pool of money that’s available if a particular a particular adverse event is deemed to be caused by the vaccine and is requiring compensation,” she told Tony Jones, filling in for Neil Mitchell.

“You would only have a small handful of people each year who would be compensated … but it would look after people so they don’t have to fight it out in court.”

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