‘While different systems vary in terms of elements of compensation and funding mechanisms, we can adapt the policies related to funding, proving injury and distributing compensation involving multiple parties. For example, we can set up a bespoke Covid-19 vaccine compensation programme. The programme could be co-financed by a mixture of public and private funds (eg. led by insurers), to achieve effective immunisation roll-out while providing a fair and equitable remedy and reduce overall costs to society.
‘Two, Malaysia’s government can adapt the Singapore model and completely assume the financial costs of any serious adverse events from the vaccine. The list of serious adverse events that are covered, the mechanism of approval and the ministry which will pay are details that can be decided by a relevant committee. Given serious adverse events are rare, the overall cost should be manageable and represents a good investment for public confidence.
‘A third option is the Covax Facility’s no-fault-compensation scheme for indemnification and liability. The scheme proposed by Covax aims to set up a compensation fund for vaccine recipients in participating countries who might suffer any side-effects from COVID-19 vaccines. The scheme proposes a new mechanism to pay a lump-sum based on severity of harm to victims from Covid-19 vaccines associated side effects. The proposed mechanism would be funded by earmarking funds from high income countries or by charging taxes on pharmaceutical companies.
‘There are reasonable solutions to the problem, and Malaysia must have a full-frontal and honest conversation about how to manage adverse events, no matter how unlikely they might be. All the solutions described above are not mutually exclusive. However, implementing them requires political will and courage. Covid-19 vaccination is a collective national effort, and we must do all we can to increase public confidence in the vaccine by providing appropriate liability protections.’
Read here (Malay Mail, Feb 11, 2021)
