Opinion ID: 404179
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The National Swine Flu Immunization Program Act.

Text: 31 Early in 1976, an outbreak of influenza among servicemen at Fort Dix, New Jersey, raised concern about a national influenza epidemic, based on the similarity between the newly discovered strain of influenza and the strain that had caused the 1918-19 pandemic. Despite disagreement among experts as to the likelihood of an epidemic, or the virulence of the newly discovered influenza strain, the federal government decided to institute a program to inoculate the entire adult population against the swine flu. 3 On August 12, 1976, President Ford signed into law the National Swine Flu Immunization Program Act, 42 U.S.C. § 247b(j)-247b(l ) (1976). 32 In order to secure participation of the manufacturers and distributors of the vaccine, and the cooperation of public and private agencies to administer the vaccine, the Act provided for the assertion of all personal injury or wrongful death claims directly against the United States. 42 U.S.C. § 247b(k)(1)(B). The Act directed claimants to follow the procedures for the Federal Tort Claims Act (the FTCA), 4 and specified that(t)he United States shall be liable with respect to claims submitted after September 30, 1976 for personal injury or death arising out of the administration of swine flu vaccine under the swine flu program and based upon the act or omission of a program participant in the same manner and to the same extent as the United States would be liable in any other action brought against it under such section 1346(b) and chapter 171, except that- 33 (i) the liability of the United States arising out of the act or omission of a program participant may be based on any theory of liability that would govern an action against such program participant under the law of the place where the act or omission occurred, including negligence, strict liability in tort, and breach of warranty; 34 (ii) the exceptions specified in section 2680(a) of title 28, shall not apply in an action based upon the act or omission of a program participant; and 35 (iii) notwithstanding section 2401(b) of title 28, if a civil action or proceeding for personal injury or death arising out of the administration of swine flu vaccine under the swine flu program is brought within two years of the date of the administration of such vaccine and is dismissed because the plaintiff in such action or proceeding did not file an administrative claim with respect to such injury or death as required by such chapter 171, the plaintiff in such action or proceeding shall have 30 days from the date of such dismissal or two years from the date the claim arose, whichever is later, in which to file such administrative claim. 36 Section 247b(k)(2)(A) of the Act imposes liability on the United States for personal injury or death arising out of the administration of the Swine Flu Immunization Program to the same extent as the liability imposed by the FTCA. The FTCA makes the United States liable only for the negligent or wrongful act or omission of any employee of the Government while acting within the scope of his office or employment(.) 28 U.S.C. § 1346(b) (1976). The Swine Flu Act, however, also makes the United States liable for the act or omission of a program participant, 5 such as the Sioux City-Woodbury County Health Department. 6 37 The FTCA does not contain its own substantive standard of care against which to measure the conduct of government employees, but instead directs that liability should be determined according to the law of the place where the act or omission occurred. 28 U.S.C. § 1346(b) (1976). Because the Swine Flu Act incorporates by reference the liability provisions of the FTCA, state law standards also apply to claims brought under the Swine Flu Act. 38 The FTCA does not make the United States liable on theories of strict or absolute liability. See Dalehite v. United States, 346 U.S. 15, 73 S.Ct. 956, 97 L.Ed. 1427 (1953). Although the Swine Flu Act does not enlarge the liability of the United States for its own acts or omissions beyond that provided for in the FTCA, it creates a derivative liability for the acts or omissions of a program participant based on any theory (including negligence, strict liability in tort, or breach of warranty) applicable under state law. 42 U.S.C. § 247b(k)(2)(A)(i) (1976). 39 The provisions of section 247b(k)(2)(A) constitute the exclusive remedy under the Act, 42 U.S.C. § 247b(k)(3). 40