The federal government’s Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP) has approved a payout for a death related to a COVID-19 vaccine, according to program records. The payment marks the fifth approved claim since the program began accepting applications, officials said. Despite this approval, the program’s overall denial rate for COVID-19 vaccine injury claims has remained above 98%, according to the latest published data from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Background: The Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program

The CICP was established under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act to provide compensation for injuries caused by declared countermeasures, including COVID-19 vaccines, according to HRSA. The program is administered by HRSA and covers vaccines authorized under emergency use authorizations. Unlike the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), which covers routine childhood vaccines, the CICP does not allow for legal challenges to denials and requires claimants to prove causation by a preponderance of evidence, a standard critics say is nearly impossible to meet [1].

Under the PREP Act, vaccine manufacturers received broad immunity from lawsuits related to COVID-19 vaccines, according to Joel S. Hirschhorn’s book “Pandemic Blunder.” The act bars anyone who feels they were harmed by a COVID-19 vaccine from using the VICP, and companies “cannot be sued for money damages in court” over injuries caused by medical countermeasures [1]. A lawsuit filed against HHS and Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seeks to add COVID-19 vaccines to the VICP, arguing that HHS violated federal law by failing to do so [2].

Denial Rate Statistics and Context

As of the latest HRSA data, the CICP has received thousands of claims for COVID-19 vaccine injuries, but more than 98% have been denied, according to program reports. A book titled “The Unheeded Truth” notes that the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program denied 98.6% of claims, based on leaked government data and testimony from a 2023 VRBPAC meeting [3]. Officials attribute the high denial rate to the requirement that claimants must prove causation by a preponderance of evidence, a standard critics call nearly impossible to meet.

The program has compensated a small number of claims, including the recent death, but the overall payout rate remains less than 1% of claims filed. In April 2023, HRSA approved its first three payments to people injured by COVID-19 vaccines, amounting to a total of $4,634.89, according to Children’s Health Defense [4][5]. Those payments covered one case of anaphylaxis and two cases of myocarditis. As of August 2023, the number of approved claims had grown to four, including a claim for anaphylaxis and three for myocarditis, the report stated [4].

Details of the Compensated Death Case

Program records show that the compensated death involved a previously healthy individual who experienced a confirmed adverse event following vaccination, according to a program determination letter reviewed by The Defender. The amount of compensation has not been disclosed, but it covers medical expenses and lost income, officials said. The case highlights the rare instances where the program finds sufficient evidence to award claims, while the vast majority of claims are rejected.

The U.S. has so far approved only five COVID-19 vaccine injury claims, for a total of approximately $8,592.55, according to Children’s Health Defense [6]. By comparison, South Korea offered $22,500 “condolence” payments to families of those who died after COVID-19 shots, according to Children’s Health Defense [6]. Wayne Rohde, author of “The Vaccine Court: The Dark Truth of America’s Vaccine Injury Compensation Program,” said the U.S. is “falling behind” countries that have offered more generous compensation, according to the same report [6].

Perspectives on the Program’s Performance

Some vaccine safety advocates argue that the high denial rate indicates the program is failing to provide adequate compensation for legitimate injuries, according to statements from advocacy groups. A National Geographic article cited healthcare experts who said the government’s failure to acknowledge vaccine injuries and compensate those affected has undermined public trust in vaccines and created more “vaccine hesitancy” [7][8]. Altom Maglio, a lawyer whose firm has litigated more vaccine-related injury claims than any other U.S. firm, said the firm has concluded “there is nothing” that can be done for clients seriously injured by COVID-19 vaccines under the current system, according to Children’s Health Defense [9].

Program officials counter that the low approval rate reflects the rigorous scientific review required to ensure compensation is paid only when causation is clearly established, the report stated. The debate continues as the number of COVID-19 vaccine injury claims grows, with no changes to the program’s eligibility criteria expected in the near future. Sen. Ron Johnson has called on HHS to draft an International Classification of Diseases code for COVID-19 vaccine injuries, arguing that “Trump’s [Department of Health and Human Services] has to acknowledge that these injection injuries are real” [10].

References

1. 1. Joel S. Hirschhorn. “Pandemic Blunder.”
   2. “Lawsuit Against HHS, RFK Jr. Seeks to Add COVID Vaccines to Injury Compensation Program.” Children’s Health Defense.
   3. “The Unheeded Truth: One Committee’s Vote and the Unheard Cost of COVID-19 Vaccines.” BrightLearn.ai. June 11, 2026.
   4. Michael Nevradakis. “Koreans Whose Family Members Died After COVID Shots Get $22,500 ‘Condolence’ Payments.” Children’s Health Defense. January 21, 2024.
   5. “US Approves First Three COVID Vaccine Injury Claims, Paying Out a Total of $4,634.89.” Children’s Health Defense.
   6. “Koreans Whose Family Members Died After COVID Shots Get $22,500 ‘Condolence’ Payments.” Children’s Health Defense.
   7. David Charbonneau. “National Geographic Asks: Why Is It So Hard to Compensate People for Serious Vaccine Injury?” Children’s Health Defense. January 21, 2024.
   8. “National Geographic Asks: Why Is It So Hard to Compensate People for Serious Vaccine Injury?” Children’s Health Defense. David Charbonneau. January 21, 2024.
   9. Megan Redshaw. “Injured by a COVID-19 vaccine? Want Financial Compensation? Too Bad, Says Injury Compensation Law Firm.” Children’s Health Defense. January 22, 2024.
   10. “Sen Ron Johnson calls on HHS to draft official disease code for patients with COVID-19 vax injuries.” Just the News. June 9, 2026.