The U.S. has relied on the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program since 1986 to ensure that individuals who have experienced a verified injury related to a vaccine have an opportunity to receive compensation without the difficulties and legal fees of pursuing individual litigation against companies or healthcare institutions that likely would not succeed with the high burden of proof needed in such cases.
Recent announcements from the HHS and statements by HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., however, suggest he may try to make substantial changes to the program that may threaten petitioners’ ability to receive appropriate compensation or threaten vaccine production and supply in ways similar to those that led to the program’s development. Hear from experts how the U.S. vaccine court came about, how the program works from both the petitioner’s and the government’s sides, how changes might affect vaccine supply and access, and what might result from different potential changes to the program.
February 12 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EST
Tara Haelle
AHCJ Health Beat Leader for Infectious Diseases and Medical Studies
Tara Haelle is AHCJ’s health beat leader for infectious diseases and medical studies. She’s an independent science/health journalist, author, speaker, and photographer. Her work has appeared in the National Geographic, Scientific American, Texas Monthly, Science News, Medscape/WebMD, The New York Times, Wired, and O Magazine, among others. She specializes in public health and medical research, particularly vaccines, infectious disease, maternal and pediatric health, mental health, healthcare disparities, and misinformation. She also covers medical research conferences and edits Long COVID Connection on Medium. Haelle earned a master’s in photojournalism from the University of Texas at Austin, and her images have appeared in Texas Monthly, NPR, the, Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere.
Anna Kirkland, J.D., Ph.D.
Kim Lane Scheppele Collegiate Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies, University of Michigan
Anna Kirkland, J.D., Ph.D., is the Kim Lane Scheppele Collegiate Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of Michigan. She is also an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor. She received her law degree (2001) and Ph.D in Jurisprudence and Social Policy (2003) from the University of California, Berkeley. She holds courtesy appointments with the School of Law, Sociology, Political Science, and Health Management and Policy at Michigan. Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. Prof. Kirkland is a member of Michigan’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation and served as a committee member on the 2018 National Academies panel charged with studying sexual harassment in the STEM fields of academia. Prof. Kirkland is the author of several books including Vaccine Court: The Law and Politics of Injury (New York University Press, 2016), along with multiple journal articles about vaccine injury compensation.
Michael Milmoe, J.D.
Partner, Law Offices of Leah V. Durant & Associates
Michael P. Milmoe is a seasoned litigator with an unparalleled depth of experience in vaccine litigation, having joined the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant & Associates in 2017 after an impressive 31-year career with the U.S. Department of Justice. Mr. Milmoe holds a B.A. from the University of Maryland College Park, a J.D. from the University of Baltimore, and an LL.M. from the prestigious Georgetown University Law Center.
Mr. Milmoe’s distinguished government service began in 1986 when he was selected as an Honors Program Attorney at the Department of Justice. For 29 years, he played a key role in the Torts Branch of the Civil Division. In 1988, he became the first attorney hired into the newly-formed Office of Vaccine Litigation, a division created the same year the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (Vaccine Act) was enacted.
Throughout his tenure, Mr. Milmoe held multiple senior roles, including Trial Attorney, Team Leader, Senior Trial Counsel, and Chair of the Hiring Committee. His contributions were pivotal in shaping the Office of Vaccine Litigation, where he developed innovative procedures that streamlined the litigation of vaccine cases—many of which are still in use today. His outstanding work was recognized with numerous accolades, including the rare and prestigious Inter-Departmental Award, jointly presented by the Attorney General of the United States and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, honoring his leadership in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of vaccine litigation.
Mr. Milmoe’s enduring legacy at the Department of Justice, combined with his extensive experience, makes him a formidable advocate in the field of vaccine litigation.
Walter Orenstein, M.D.
Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Pediatrics, Epidemiology and Global Health, Emory University
Walter A Orenstein, MD, DSc (Hon) is Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Pediatrics, Epidemiology, and Global Health at Emory University. He is also the Director of OrensteinVax, LLC, a consulting firm. Dr. Orenstein worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for 26 years and was the Director of the United States Immunization Program for 16 years (1988-2004). He has co-edited the standard textbook in Vaccinology, Plotkin’s Vaccines for the last 6 editions. His work has focused on developing and implementing vaccination policies especially with regard to polio eradication and measles elimination.