Vaccine compensation suggested
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There are calls for a no-fault compensation scheme to be created for vaccine injuries.
A recent Senate committee report has recommended the establishment of a no-fault compensation scheme for individuals injured by vaccines funded by the federal government.
The recommendation was among five key suggestions presented in a comprehensive inquiry into the causes of excess deaths in Australia from 2021 to August 2023.
The report was prompted by an increase in mortality rates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The committee, chaired by Senator Penny Allman-Payne, identified COVID-19 as the primary cause of excess deaths during the period under review.
The report highlighted that in 2022, the Omicron variant contributed to a sharp rise in excess mortality, jumping from 1.6 per cent in 2021 to 11.7 per cent in 2022.
A critical focus of the committee was on the adverse events following immunisation, which, while rare, have raised public concern.
“Following the testimony of witnesses and the large amounts of correspondence received by the committee in relation to vaccine injuries, the committee's attention was drawn to the small number of individuals who suffer adverse events following immunisation, and the compensation to which they are entitled,” the report says.
The committee emphasised that a no-fault compensation scheme could not only address the concerns of those affected but also mitigate vaccine hesitancy by ensuring efficient and fair compensation for injuries.
The report also referenced the findings of the Actuaries Institute of Australia, which affirmed that vaccination played a significant role in preventing even higher excess mortality rates.
Despite this, the committee acknowledged that there is a need for improvement in how the government compensates individuals who suffer from vaccine-related injuries.
In addition to the compensation scheme, the committee made several other recommendations.
It urged the federal government to expedite the opening of the Australian Centre for Disease Control, a move seen as crucial for improving Australia's readiness for future public health emergencies.
The report also called for enhancements in data collection, particularly to better understand the impacts of health events on Indigenous Australians, people with disabilities, and residents in regional areas.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) was specifically recommended to include geographic indicators and address existing gaps in data concerning these groups.
The ABS submission to the inquiry indicated that strict lockdown measures in 2020 had initially reduced excess mortality.
However, the subsequent years saw a stark rise, particularly in 2022, when COVID-19 became the third leading cause of death in Australia. This was the first time an infectious disease ranked in the top five causes of death since the 1960s.
The Senate report concluded with a call for a review of public health communication strategies employed during the pandemic.
The aim is to enhance the effectiveness of these strategies in future crises, ensuring that public health messaging is clear and accessible to all Australians.