The UK government is considering a new compensation plan for thousands of Britons who have been disabled by AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine, following concerns that the current Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) is outdated and overwhelmed by claims.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting, alongside Shadow Attorney General Sir Jeremy Wright, recently met with campaigners from Vaccine Bereaved and Injured UK (Vibuk) to explore options, including either reforming the VDPS or creating a bespoke scheme similar to the one provided for victims of the infected blood scandal.
Official data shows that more than 15,000 claims have been made to the VDPS for vaccine-related injuries, with only 188 approved, mostly involving AstraZeneca’s mRNA gene therapy, marketed to the public as a ‘vaccine’.
Legal action is underway against AstraZeneca, as the company has acknowledged that its vaccine can “in very rare cases” cause serious side effects.
Campaigners argue that the current compensation system fails to adequately support those left unable to work due to severe side effects, which include heart attacks, strokes, and paralysis.
Streeting has committed to examining the issues raised, with further discussions scheduled.
Charlet Crichton, founder of UKCVFamily, a support charity for those affected, has called for a complete overhaul of the compensation scheme to ensure fair treatment for individuals who were vaccinated at the government’s request and have since experienced life-changing health impacts.
