Thousands of Britons who say they have been disabled by AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccines could be in line to win compensation under a possible Labor plan.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting is currently preparing a tailor-made program for people affected by life-changing conditions after receiving the vaccine – similar to that already in place for victims of the infected blood scandal.
The plans, uncovered by The Telegraph, follow concerns that the existing Vaccine Damage Payment System (VDPS) is struggling under the weight of a mountain of claims from those suffering side effects from Covid vaccines.
Activists said the VDPS – originally established in 1979 – was no longer fit for purpose.
Wes Streeting has previously met with UK campaigners from Vaccine Bereaved and Injured to discuss their concerns
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Meanwhile, officials at the Ministry of Health and Welfare are reportedly considering reforms or a complete overhaul of the VDPS.
Last month, Streeting and Andrew Gwynne, the health minister, met with campaigners from Vaccine Bereaved and Injured UK (Vibuk) to discuss their concerns about the existing compensation system.
A number of families represented by Vibuk are involved in a legal action against AstraZeneca – which admitted earlier this year in court documents that its Covid vaccines could, “in very rare cases”, cause a side effect.
The British-Swedish pharmaceutical company is being sued in a class action over allegations that the vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, led to dozens of cases of death and serious injuries.
Shadow Attorney General Sir Jeremy Wright was also present at the meeting with Streeting and Vibuk last month – and is said to have another follow-up meeting with the Health Secretary planned in the coming weeks.
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Activists expressed optimism “about the new government supporting its voters injured and bereaved by the vaccine.”
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“The two options are to reform the VDPS and also put in place a tailored compensation system,” Wright said. “But the government has no choice but to bury its head in the sand and do nothing. »
He added: “If you are in the very small minority of people harmed (by the Covid vaccine), those people have a right to expect that the state will look after them properly – they were only doing what the state asked them to do. »
More than 15,000 people have requested compensation from the VDPS for alleged damage caused by Covid vaccines, according to the latest official figures.
But of the 15,804 existing claims, only 188 have been informed that they are entitled to compensation.
The figures, released by the government after several freedom of information requests, show that the vast majority of accepted applications are for AstraZeneca’s vaccine – while fewer than five are for Pfizer and Moderna’s.
Britons have already been compensated for conditions as serious as heart attacks, strokes and facial paralysis.
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Britons have previously been compensated for illnesses as serious as heart attacks, strokes and facial paralysis – but campaigners have hit back, arguing the VDPS does not adequately compensate those left unable to work after have suffered serious side effects from Covid vaccines.
Charlet Crichton, founder of Covid vaccine side effects support charity UKCVFamily, said: “We are optimistic that the new government is supporting its constituents injured and bereaved by the vaccine and we hope the scheme will be reformed.
“We are calling for a complete overhaul of the system. There are too many problems with the current system for it to be viable. »
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Our deepest sympathies go out to those who have suffered harm.
“The Secretary of State met with families to listen to their concerns and agreed that the Government would look closely at them as we continue to learn the lessons of the pandemic and apply them. »