HHS Allegedly Fails to Deliver 30 Years of Mandated Biennial Vaccine Safety Reports to Congress

Washington D.C. – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has allegedly failed to submit biennial vaccine safety reports to Congress for nearly three decades, a mandate established by the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act. This significant claim, brought forth by attorney Aaron Siri in his new book "Vaccines Amen," was highlighted by Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH, on social media. According to Siri, HHS has produced "ZERO reports in nearly 30 years" as required by law.

The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (NCVIA) of 1986 was enacted to establish a no-fault compensation program for vaccine-related injuries, aiming to ensure a stable vaccine supply and manage associated costs. Section 2127(b) of the Act specifically requires the Secretary of HHS to submit a biennial report to Congress detailing actions taken to promote safer childhood vaccines and improve various aspects of vaccine regulation. This mandate underscores a legislative intent for ongoing oversight of vaccine safety enhancements.

Attorney Aaron Siri, known for his work on vaccine-related legal cases, testified in a Senate hearing that the biennial reporting requirement has been entirely unfulfilled since the Act's inception. He further noted that a task force, also mandated by the NCVIA to make recommendations on vaccine safety, issued only one set of recommendations in 1998 before being disbanded. This alleged lack of reporting raises questions about the transparency and accountability of federal health agencies in monitoring and improving vaccine safety.

While HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra has publicly affirmed the administration's commitment to public health, vaccine safety, transparency, and combating misinformation, direct responses to Siri's specific accusation of "zero reports" have not been found in recent public statements. The federal government maintains several systems for monitoring vaccine safety, including the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD), and the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

The allegations of non-compliance with the 1986 Act's reporting mandate fuel ongoing debates surrounding vaccine safety oversight and public trust in federal health institutions. Critics argue that such omissions hinder a comprehensive understanding of vaccine safety profiles and impede efforts to address public concerns effectively. The absence of these mandated reports could be seen as a significant lapse in the government's responsibility to inform Congress and the public about efforts to enhance vaccine safety.