The U.S. government’s Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP), established to compensate individuals who suffer serious injuries or death linked to COVID-19 vaccines and other pandemic-related countermeasures, has approved four additional claims, including a death benefit, according to newly released federal data.
The latest figures, published by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in its June update, show that the program has compensated 60 claims out of 7,407 adjudicated cases since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, 7,298 claims have been denied, leaving the program with a denial rate exceeding 98 percent.
The newly approved death-related claim marks only the third fatality compensation awarded under the program since COVID-19 vaccines became available, according to researcher Wayne Rohde, an author and long-time observer of federal vaccine injury compensation systems.
As of June, the CICP had received a total of 14,152 claims alleging injuries or deaths associated with covered countermeasures, including COVID-19 vaccines. Of these, 6,745 claims remain under review, while decisions have been reached on 7,407 cases.
Although HRSA has determined that 109 claims meet eligibility requirements for compensation, only 60 have resulted in actual payments. Total compensation paid under the program currently stands at approximately $7.45 million.
Federal records indicate that most denied claims were rejected due to procedural issues, including missed filing deadlines, insufficient medical documentation, or failure to meet the evidentiary threshold required to establish that a covered countermeasure directly caused the alleged injury.
READ ALSO: Canada launches parliamentary probe into COVID-19 vaccine injuries
The latest figures have reignited criticism of the CICP, with legal experts arguing that the structure of the program makes it exceptionally difficult for injured individuals to obtain compensation.
Attorney Ray Flores, who represents two women challenging the denial of their COVID-19 vaccine injury claims in a lawsuit supported by Children’s Health Defense (CHD), said the system places an unusually high burden of proof on applicants.
“So long as the HHS Secretary’s COVID-19 PREP Act protections remain in place through the end of the decade, extremely low payouts will remain common,” Flores argued.
He explained that COVID-19 vaccine injuries are classified as “non-table injuries,” meaning claimants must independently demonstrate a direct causal connection between the vaccine and their medical condition.
According to Flores, many potential claimants are unaware of the compensation program and its strict filing requirements.
“Most injured individuals do not know the CICP exists or that claims must be filed within one year,” he said. “Additionally, many people do not meet the program’s narrow definition of serious bodily injury, making them ineligible to seek compensation.”
The compensation debate comes amid broader discussions within federal health circles about the recognition and monitoring of potential long-term vaccine-related conditions.
Earlier this year, a confidential draft report prepared for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) COVID-19 Immunization Workgroup reportedly called for greater recognition and tracking of what it described as Post-Acute COVID-19 Vaccination Syndrome (PACVS).
The report noted that some individuals report persistent multi-system symptoms following COVID-19 vaccination and recommended the development of dedicated diagnostic codes, clinical guidelines and international surveillance networks to improve understanding of such cases.
READ ALSO: Company to pay $4.25m after mass firings over COVID-19 vaccine mandate
In February, plaintiff Jeanne Materese filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), arguing that COVID-19 vaccines should have been transferred from the CICP into the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), a more established federal compensation system covering routinely recommended vaccines.
The government has sought dismissal of the case, maintaining that the CICP provides an adequate remedy for eligible claimants.
Under the CICP, claimants must file within 12 months of injury and may receive compensation only for unreimbursed medical expenses, limited lost wages and a death benefit. The program does not compensate for pain and suffering, does not cover legal fees and offers no judicial review of decisions.
According to federal statistics cited by observers, the VICP had processed more than 28,000 petitions as of February 2025. Of the 24,602 adjudicated claims, 11,659 were deemed eligible for compensation, representing an approval rate of roughly 47 percent.
The release of the latest compensation figures coincides with continued federal investment in COVID-19 vaccination programs. During the same month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded Pfizer federal grants worth approximately $1.24 billion to support COVID-19 vaccination initiatives for both children and adults.