25 signatures reached
To: Department of Health and Human Services and US Congress
Please Add COVID-19 and Shingles Vaccines to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP)
We urge HHS and Congress to immediately include COVID-19 and Shingles vaccines in the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). Individuals suffering from vaccine-related shoulder injuries (SIRVA) caused by improper injection have no access to compensation under the current system. The alternative program (CICP) is broken and failing victims. It’s time to fix this injustice.
Why is this important?
To: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Members of Congress
We call on you to add COVID-19 and Shingles vaccines to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) and recognize Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) as a serious and preventable injury deserving of compensation, regardless of vaccine type.
We are pro-vaccine, we also believe that those injured due to incorrect vaccine administration deserve support. Many people have suffered SIRVA after receiving COVID-19 or Shingles vaccines injected too high into the shoulder joint instead of the deltoid muscle.
Currently, these vaccines are not part of VICP. Instead, claims must be filed through the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP)—a program that a bipartisan congressional report labeled as dysfunctional, understaffed, and failing to process or pay valid claims.
Personal Story
I am a yoga instructor and licensed psychologist. Before my injury, I lived a healthy, active life with pain-free shoulders. I received a COVID-19 vaccine administered too high into my shoulder. And by the next day, I had little to no use of my arm and constant, searing pain. My career, daily activities, and passion for movement have all been disrupted.
Personal Story
I am a yoga instructor and licensed psychologist. Before my injury, I lived a healthy, active life with pain-free shoulders. I received a COVID-19 vaccine administered too high into my shoulder. And by the next day, I had little to no use of my arm and constant, searing pain. My career, daily activities, and passion for movement have all been disrupted.
Ten months later, I still have limited mobility and daily pain, even after surgery at month 7. I’ve spent thousands of dollars on MRIs, orthopedic consults, physical therapy, surgery and lost work. I went from thriving to living with a chronic, life-altering injury—in just one day.
And I’m not alone. There are thousands of others just like me—sharing very similar experiences in online SIRVA support groups. This petition is for the thousands with SIRVA whose life is now filled with daily pain and limited use of their impacted arm. Most were never warned about improper landmarking. Most have been dismissed. And those harmed by shingles and COVID cannot access VICP(government compensation fund paid by pharmaceutical companies) because these vaccines have not been added to the VICP the vaccine table.
SIRVA is life-altering.
- Only 2/3 of individuals recover; 1/3 live with permanent disability.
- It causes chronic pain, reduced mobility, and loss of work, hobbies, and physical activity.
- Treatment is expensive—MRIs, orthopedic care, months of physical therapy, and often surgery—with no financial recourse if your injury came from a vaccine not listed under VICP.
We urge you to:
- Add COVID-19 and Shingles vaccines to the VICP vaccine injury table immediately.
- Ensure SIRVA is compensable across all vaccines, including newer ones.
- Support stronger training and enforcement of proper injection technique to prevent SIRVA.
It’s time to modernize the VICP and bring justice to those who’ve been harmed—not by vaccines themselves, but by how they were administered.