§300aa–34 Termination of Program

Summary

The Secretary must count how many compensation awards the vaccine program has paid for injuries or deaths linked to vaccines given on or after December 22, 1987. The first count covers the 12 months starting December 22, 1987. After that, the Secretary must check the number at the end of every three-month period. If the total awards by the end of any period is higher than the number set for that period in the table below, the Secretary must tell Congress. Then, 180 days after Congress gets that notice, no new petitions can be filed under the vaccine program for injuries or deaths from vaccines given on or after December 22, 1987. When filing of petitions is stopped this way, the program’s petition rules and Subpart B will not apply to civil lawsuits for those same injuries or deaths. The trigger table of totals is: 12 months after December 22, 1987 — 150; months 13–15 — 188; months 16–18 — 225; months 19–21 — 263; months 22–24 — 300; months 25–27 — 338; months 28–30 — 375; months 31–33 — 413; months 34–36 — 450; months 37–39 — 488; months 40–42 — 525; months 43–45 — 563; months 46–48 — 600.