Compensation for vaccine injury

To the Editor.— The recommendations for vaccine injury compensation published in the Dec 7 issue ofThe Journal 1 are both necessary and generally sound. All claims of injury should first be funneled through a no-fault federal compensation program. However, when the claimant finds the disposition of his claim by the program to be unsatisfactory, there probably deserves to be a limited appeals process involving petition for a rehearing or appeal to a federal court, where a contention as to fact could be heard by a judge without jury. This is most apt to be needed when a claim is turned down. In addition, health insurers should not be permitted to exclude these injuries from medical care coverage, and compensation should be limited to cases of serious injury only to the extent that a family's health insurance does not provide such coverage. Pain and suffering compensation should be excluded. In