President Signs Bill Shielding Vaccine Manufacturers from Liability

WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Bush signed into law on Dec. 30 the Department of Defense appropriations bill, which includes language shielding vaccine makers from liability should their vaccines harm patients.

The U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate passed the appropriations bill (H.R. 2863) late last month.

According to the amendment, which incorporates language from Senate bill S.1873 (the Biodefense and Pandemic Vaccine and Drug Development Act of 2005), vaccine manufacturers involved in the 'design, development, clinical testing and investigation, manufacture, labeling, distribution, sale, purchase, donation, dispensing, prescribing [or] administration...in defense against, or in response to, or recovery …