Vaccine Compensation bill

Smallpox Emergency Personnel Protection Act of 2003 - (Sec. 2) Amends title II of the Public Health Service Act to add a new part, Part C (Smallpox Emergency Personnel Protection). Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish procedures for determining whether an individual is an eligible individual under this Act who qualifies for compensation for a covered injury or injuries.

Defines a covered injury as an injury, disability, illness, condition, or death arising in a specified time period from the administration of a smallpox vaccine or arising in specified circumstances from an accidental smallpox inoculation. Defines a covered individual as an individual from one of certain professions who is or will be functioning as part of a federally approved smallpox emergency response plan and who receives a smallpox vaccine. Defines an eligible individual as a covered individual who sustains a covered injury from a smallpox vaccine or as an individual who is accidentally inoculated and sustains a covered injury.

Directs the Secretary to create a smallpox vaccine injury table identifying adverse effects that shall be presumed to result from the administration of (or exposure to) a smallpox vaccine and the time period in which the first symptom of each such adverse effect must occur for such presumption to apply. Permits the Secretary to amend the table by regulation. Sets forth the procedure for the Secretary to make determinations other than those described in the table as to the causation or severity of an injury.

Allows the Secretary to review and affirm, vacate, or modify determinations of adverse effects. Declares that no court shall have subject matter jurisdiction to review any such determination. Allows an officer or employee of the United States to review any such determination at the behest of the President.

Requires the Secretary to make payments for medical items and services as reasonable and necessary to treat a covered injury of an eligible individual. Directs the Secretary to provide compensation according to a specified formula to an eligible individual for the loss of employment income incurred due to a covered injury. Limits such payments to a maximum of $50,000 for any year and sets a limit on the lifetime total of such compensation equal to the death benefit established below. Requires the Secretary to pay a permanent and total disability benefit according to a specified formula to an eligible individual who is determined to have a covered injury or injuries meeting the definition of disability in a specified Social Security Act provision outlining definitions. Directs the Secretary to pay a death benefit according to a specified formula to the survivor or survivors of an eligible individual whose death is determined to have resulted from a covered injury or injuries. Sets limitations on both benefits.

Directs the Secretary to ensure that State, local, or Department of Health and Human Services smallpox emergency response plans under this Act are consistent with guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with respect to the education of individual participants and the adequate screening of individuals for vaccine contraindications.

Authorizes appropriations through FY 2007.

(Sec. 3) Amends Public Health Service Act provisions regarding: (1) tort liability for the administration of smallpox countermeasures; and (2) the administration of smallpox countermeasures by health professionals, including to modify the definitions of covered countermeasure, covered person, and qualified person.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov