Remedies for Damage Caused by Vaccines: A Comparative Study of Four European Legal Systems

Compensation for damage caused to patients by vaccination is an increasingly prominent issue given the important public health consideration of ensuring the highest possible take-up of vaccination. This study explores the approach to vaccine damage cases in four different European countries (France, Germany, Italy and the UK), examining the variety of different mechanisms for providing redress, including specific compensation funds, social security systems, the operation of orthodox regimes of tort law and product liability, as well as in certain jurisdictions bespoke legislation for healthcare products or pharmaceuticals. The authors then go on to examine the recent case law on this topic at a Member State and European level, focussing particularly on issues relating to the notion of defect and that of causation in vaccine damage cases.