The Biden administration has extended liability protections for COVID-19 vaccine makers, health care providers, and others through 2029. The decision, which has sparked renewed debate over accountability for vaccine-related injuries and the future of public health policy, ensures immunity from most lawsuits for those involved in the development and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and other medical countermeasures.

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The five-year extension, signed by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra on Dec. 11, continues a policy first implemented during the pandemic under then-President Donald Trump. It is one of the longest liability protections in the history of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act. Proponents argue that the protections are essential for fostering innovation and maintaining public health readiness, but critics contend they leave vaccine-injured individuals without recourse and could limit future administrations’ ability to enact significant policy changes.