WASHINGTON (AP) — All but broken by her son’s violent and unexplained seizures, by so many panicked trips from the crib to the emergency room, Jeffrey McCord’s mom thought her desperate search for both answers and help was finally over.
A respected neurologist had drawn a connection that a dozen other doctors missed: Jeffrey’s convulsions began days after a routine vaccination, the kind given safely to millions of American children.
While Jeffrey’s injuries were devastating, his parents were told they might not have to bear the costs alone. The doctor explained that Jeffrey could apply for lifelong care paid for by the federal government. The program’s premise is simple: quickly and generously support people in the rare cases when a shot to prevent a sickness such as flu or measles instead is the likely cause of serious health complications.
But 11 years would pass before the McCord family would receive its first check…