Vaccine court
The VICP covers all vaccines listed on the Vaccine Injury Table maintained by the Secretary of Health and Human Services; in 2007 the list included vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), measles, mumps, rubella (German measles), polio, hepatitis B, varicella (chicken pox), "Haemophilus influenzae" type b, rotavirus, and pneumonia. From 1988 until 8 January 2008, 5,263 claims relating to autism, and 2,865 non-autism claims, were made to the VICP. 925 of these claims, one autism-related (see previous rulings), were compensated, with 1,158 non-autism and 350 autism claims dismissed; awards (including attorney's fees) totaled $847 million. The VICP also applies to claims for injuries suffered before 1988; there were 4,264 of these claims of which 1,189 were compensated with awards totaling $903 million.
Lyme disease microbiology
A vaccine based on the surface protein OspA (LYMErix; SmithKline Beecham) was licensed for use in adults. However, the manufacturer voluntarily removed the vaccine from the market in 2002. The current focus is on vaccine candidates that require fewer boosts and provide long-term protection. Interest is developing in vaccines that specifically target the tick vectors of Lyme disease, specifically components of tick saliva that coat the bacteria. This approach offers the advantage of protecting against multiple pathogens with one vaccine. While an effective Lyme disease vaccine seems likely to be developed, earlier experiences with the LYMErix vaccine suggest bringing such a vaccine to market will be a challenge.