Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/10pdf/09-152.pdf
Page Number: 1

(Slip Opinion) 

OCTOBER  TERM,  2010 

1 

Syllabus 

NOTE:  Where  it  is  feasible,  a  syllabus  (headnote)  will  be  released,  as  is
being  done  in  connection  with  this  case,  at  the  time  the  opinion  is  issued.
The  syllabus  constitutes  no  part  of  the  opinion  of  the  Court  but  has  been
prepared  by  the  Reporter  of  Decisions  for  the  convenience  of  the  reader. 
See United States v. Detroit Timber & Lumber Co., 200 U. S. 321, 337. 

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES 

Syllabus 

BRUESEWITZ ET AL. v. WYETH LLC, FKA WYETH, INC., 
ET AL. 

CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR 
THE THIRD CIRCUIT 

No. 09–152.  Argued October 12, 2010—Decided February 22, 2011 

The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 (NCVIA or Act) cre-
ated  a  no-fault  compensation  program  to  stabilize  a  vaccine  market 
adversely  affected  by  an  increase  in  vaccine-related  tort  litigation
and  to  facilitate  compensation  to  claimants  who  found  pursuing  le-
gitimate  vaccine-inflicted  injuries  too  costly  and  difficult.    The  Act 
provides that a party alleging a vaccine-related injury may file a peti-
tion  for  compensation  in  the  Court  of  Federal  Claims,  naming  the 
Health  and  Human  Services  Secretary  as  the  respondent;  that  the 
court  must  resolve  the  case  by  a  specified  deadline;  and  that  the
claimant  can  then  decide  whether  to  accept  the  court’s  judgment  or 
reject it and seek tort relief from the vaccine manufacturer.  Awards 
are paid out of a fund created by an excise tax on each vaccine dose. 
As a quid pro quo, manufacturers enjoy significant tort-liability pro-
tections.  Most importantly, the Act eliminates manufacturer liability
for a vaccine’s unavoidable, adverse side effects. 

Hannah Bruesewitz’s parents filed a vaccine-injury petition in the 
Court  of  Federal  Claims,  claiming  that  Hannah  became  disabled  af-
ter  receiving  a  diphtheria,  tetanus,  and  pertussis  (DTP)  vaccine
manufactured  by  Lederle  Laboratories  (now  owned  by  respondent 
Wyeth).  After that court denied their claim, they elected to reject the 
unfavorable  judgment  and  filed  suit  in  Pennsylvania  state  court,  al-
leging,  inter  alia,  that  the  defective  design  of  Lederle’s  DTP  vaccine 
caused  Hannah’s  disabilities,  and  that  Lederle  was  subject  to  strict
liability  and  liability  for  negligent  design  under  Pennsylvania  com-
mon law.  Wyeth removed the suit to the  Federal District Court.  It 
granted  Wyeth  summary  judgment,  holding  that  the  relevant  Penn-
sylvania  law  was  preempted  by  42  U. S. C.  §300aa–22(b)(1),  which