PDF file: 451-0408_November_19_2025_changes_to_the_Vaccine_Injury_Support_program_and_assumption_by.pdf
OPQ ID: 451-0408
Session: 451
Question number: Q-0408
Sessional paper: 8555-451-408
Title: November 19, 2025 changes to the Vaccine Injury Support program and assumption by PHAC
Short description: 
Topic: vaccines
Identified concern: 
Keywords: 
Agencies: HC, PHAC
Date asked: 2025-10-03
Date tabled: 2025-11-19
Submitted by: Dave Epp (Chatham-Kent—
Reply by: the Minister of Health
Responded by: Signed by Maggie Chi
Pages: 5
Status: not processed
Alert: yellow
Questions asked: 11
Questions answered: 
Percent responded: 0%
Referenced sources: (none extracted)
Referenced links: (none extracted)
Official link: https://www.google.com/search?q=8555-451-408+ourcommons.ca
PDF URL: https://ivim.ca/foi/opq/r/451-0408_November_19_2025_changes_to_the_Vaccine_Injury_Support_program_and_assumption_by.pdf
TXT URL: https://ivim.ca/foi/opq/r/451-0408.txt
Original filename: Q-408,  November 19, 2025 changes to the Vaccine Injury Support program and assumption by PHAC.pdf
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Question text preview:
With regard to the responsibilities of Health Canada under the Vaccine Injury Support Program: (a) what evaluation of the
Vaccine Injury Support Program has Health Canada conducted in order to assess its performance in comparison to similar programs, both domestically and internationally;
(b) if an evaluation was conducted on the program, what prompted this evaluation and what were the key findings regarding the program's effectiveness and efficiency and what specific criteria were used to carry out this evaluation;
(c) what changes or initiatives are planned by Health Canada to improve the services and financial assistance provided through the Vaccine Injury Support Program;
(d) what proposed structural changes to the program or new support mechanisms for injured individuals are being introduced and how are they being communicated to the public;
(e) how has Health Canada addressed concerns about the program, including, but not limited to, issues related to processing claims and providing adequate support;
(f) what proportion of individuals who have filed claims through the program receive timely and adequate support in accordance with the program's guidelines and objectives, and what data was used to determine the proportion;
(g) what were the results of evaluations or assessments conducted in response to these concerns, and who conducted each evaluation or assessment;
(h) how does Health Canada assess the cost-effectiveness of the program in delivering support to individuals, and how does this align with the outcomes achieved for injured individuals;
(i) what methods of communication has Health Canada employed to engage with claimants and beneficiaries of the program;
(j) what is considered the service standard for communications with claimants and beneficiaries and did these communication methods meet the service standard;
(k) how many and what percentage of files have (i) met, (ii) not met, the service standard; and (I) what metrics were used to determine if the communication in (i) was effective in ensuring that individuals had the necessary information and support throughout their claims process, and how effective was the communication?
Response
This response was tabled in the House of Commons on November 19, 2025, as Sessional Paper 8555-451-408.
Order/Address of the House of Commons
Tabled on
November 19, 2025
Sessional Paper
8555-451-408
House of Commons
Health Canada
Reply by: the Minister of Health
Name of Signatory: Signed by Maggie Chi
Reply
Public Health Agency of Canada
(a) what evaluation of the Vaccine Injury Support Program has Health
Canada conducted in order to assess its performance in comparison to similar programs, both domestically and internationally?
In 2024, the Public Health Agency of Canada engaged Dr.
Kumanan Wilson, a recognized authority in Canada on vaccine injury compensation programs, to undertake an international comparative analysis of the most directly relevant vaccine injury compensation programs in order to determine best practices, applicable experiences and lessons learned.
As international programs vary in regards to areas such as scope, assessment criteria and methods, and payment amounts, it was not possible to make direct comparisons between programs, but the goal was to identify best practices and lessons learned relevant for Canada as the Public Health Agency of Canada began considering the next steps for the Vaccine Injury
Support Program.
In May 2025, following allegations of mismanagement by the third-party company managing the Vaccine Injury Support
Program, the Minister of Health requested the Public Health Agency of Canada accelerate its audit of the third-party’s management and delivery of the program.
The results of this audit will be made public as soon as they are available.
(b) if an evaluation was conducted on the program, what prompted this evaluation and what were the key findings regarding the program's effectiveness and efficiency and what specific criteria were used to carry out this evaluation?
Question number
Q-408
Asked by
Dave Epp (Chatham-Kent—
Leamington)
Date asked
October 3, 2025
Presented by
Kevin Lamoureux
Parliamentary Secretary to the
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
The Public Health Agency of Canada evaluation of the Vaccine Injury Support Program was planned as part of the broader
Policy on Transfer Payments which includes periodic evaluations and reviews of programs.
The accelerated audit of the
Program was requested by the Minister of Health following allegations of Program mismanagement.
The results of the audit will be made public as soon as they are available.
(c) what changes or initiatives are planned by Health Canada to improve the services and financial assistance provided through the
Vaccine Injury Support Program?
Administration of the Vaccine Injury Support Program will be brought under the Public Health Agency of Canada as of April
1, 2026, in order to align Canada’s management of the program with how similar programs are managed in Quebec and in other G7 countries.
The Public Health Agency of Canada will review the results of its evaluation to determine how to improve the operation and delivery of the Vaccine Injury Support Program.
Details on changes to the delivery of program will be publicly communicated when available.
(d) what proposed structural changes to the program or new support mechanisms for injured individuals are being introduced and how are they being communicated to the public?
Transitioning administration of the Vaccine Injury Support Program from a third-party administrator to the Public Health
Agency of Canada represents the primary structural change being implemented.
The decision to move to an internal delivery model considers lessons learned from the initial years of the program, as well as best practices from other international vaccine injury compensation programs.
The next steps regarding the operation and delivery of the Vaccine Injury Support Program could include potential design changes.
Details on the delivery of the Public Health Agency of Canada-administered program will be publicly communicated when available.
(e) how has Health Canada addressed concerns about the program, including, but not limited to, issues related to processing claims and providing adequate support?
The primary goal of the Vaccine Injury Support Program should be to provide supports to vulnerable Canadians to which they are entitled.
The federal government will take over administration of the Program to ensure this goal is met.
The decision to move to an internal delivery model was based on lessons learned from the initial years of the program, as well as best practices from comparable international vaccine injury compensation programs.
The Public Health Agency of Canada’s development of the next iteration of the program will be informed by feedback received to date.
(f) what proportion of individuals who have filed claims through the program receive timely and adequate support in accordance with the program's guidelines and objectives, and what data was used to determine the proportion?
Data on the Vaccine Injury Support Program is maintained and reported by its third-party administrator.
(g) what were the results of evaluations or assessments conducted in response to these concerns, and who conducted each evaluation or assessment?
The evaluation of the Vaccine Injury Support Program conducted by Dr.
Kumanan Wilson, a recognized authority in Canada on vaccine injury compensation programs, found that most national no-fault vaccine injury compensation systems are government-administered.
Consequently, the Program will be administered by the federal government as of April 1, 2026, the earliest possible date under the existing agreement.
(h) how does Health Canada assess the cost-effectiveness of the program in delivering support to individuals, and how does this align with the outcomes achieved for injured individuals?
All grants and contr