{"package_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_13-vv-00472","decision_granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_13-vv-00472-0","petitioner_identifier":"A.F.","is_minor":1,"age_at_vaccination":0.997,"age_unit_raw":"years","vaccine_type":"pneumococcal conjugate","vaccination_date":"2010-07-14","condition_raw":"opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome","condition_category":"other","autism_spectrum_adjacent":0,"outcome":"denied","award_amount_usd":null,"decision_date":"2017-01-03","extraction_version":"gemini-v2","extracted_at":"2026-04-30T00:30:01.925543+00:00","number_of_concurrent_vaccines":1,"dose_number":null,"time_to_onset_days":45,"theory_of_causation":"Petitioner K.O. alleged that the PCV vaccine administered on July 14, 2010, caused her minor son A.F. to develop Opsoclonus Myoclonus Syndrome (OMS). Petitioner's expert, Dr. Spencer Weig, proposed molecular mimicry as the theory of causation, with an alleged onset date of August 25, 2010. Respondent's expert, Dr. Eric Lancaster, argued against this theory, suggesting a furuncle infection as a more plausible trigger and an onset date of August 28, 2010. The Special Master found the petitioner failed to establish a reliable medical theory connecting the PCV vaccine to OMS, noting insufficient evidentiary justification for molecular mimicry and a lack of demonstrated homology between the vaccine and brain tissue. The onset of A.F.'s symptoms, even on the petitioner's asserted date of August 25, 2010, was determined to be 45 days post-vaccination, exceeding the medically acceptable interval of 42 days. The Special Master also noted that A.F. had a furuncle infection prior to the alleged onset, which Dr. Lancaster considered a more likely trigger than the vaccine. The petition was denied due to failure to prove causation and an acceptable temporal relationship. Attorneys for petitioner were Ronald C. Homer and Meredith Daniels; attorney for respondent was Heather L. Pearlman. Special Master Christian J. Moran issued the decision on January 3, 2017.","is_death":0,"date_of_death":null,"petition_filed_date":"2016-07-07","case_summary":"K.O., on behalf of her minor son A.F., filed a petition alleging that the pneumococcal conjugate (PCV) vaccine administered on July 14, 2010, caused A.F. to develop opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome (OMS). K.O. claimed the onset of OMS symptoms occurred around August 25, 2010. The petitioner's expert, Dr. Spencer Weig, a pediatric neurologist, opined that the PCV vaccine triggered OMS through molecular mimicry, with an onset date of August 25, 2010. The respondent, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, presented the opinion of neurologist Dr. Eric Lancaster. Dr. Lancaster argued that the onset of OMS was later, on August 28, 2010, and that a furuncle infection was a more plausible trigger than the vaccine. The Special Master, Christian J. Moran, found that the petitioner failed to establish a reliable medical theory connecting the PCV vaccine to OMS. The public decision does not describe the specific homology or lack thereof between the vaccine and brain tissue, nor does it detail the specific antigens involved in the molecular mimicry theory. Furthermore, the Special Master determined that the onset of A.F.'s symptoms, even under the petitioner's most favorable interpretation of August 25, 2010, occurred 45 days after vaccination, which fell outside the medically acceptable interval of 42 days. The Special Master noted that the medical records indicated A.F. experienced constipation on August 25, 2010, and that the irritability subsided after a bowel movement, suggesting constipation as the cause of irritability rather than OMS. The decision also noted that A.F. had a furuncle infection approximately 17 days before the proposed August 28, 2010 onset date, which Dr. Lancaster considered a more plausible trigger than the vaccine. Because the petitioner did not prove either a reliable theory of causation or an acceptable temporal relationship, the petition was denied. There was no award of compensation. The case was originally filed on July 7, 2016, and the decision was reissued on January 3, 2017. Ronald C. Homer and Meredith Daniels represented the petitioner, and Heather L. Pearlman represented the respondent.","is_minor_inferred":null,"is_pediatric_broad":1,"special_master":"Christian J. Moran","petitioner_identifier_original":null,"caption_petitioner_name":null,"petitioner_attorney_name":"Meredith Daniels","petitioner_attorney_firm":"Conway, Homer & Chin-Caplan, P.C.","petitioner_attorney_location":"Boston, MA","adjudicator_name":null,"caption_people_backfilled_at":null,"attorney_canonical_keys":"|meredith-daniels|","firm_canonical_key":"conway-homer","package_title":"O'MALLEY et al v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","canonical_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_13-vv-00472","plain_text_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_13-vv-00472.txt","json_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_13-vv-00472.json","source_documents":[{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_13-vv-00472-0","title":"O'MALLEY et al v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 07/07/2016) regarding 85 DECISION of Special Master. Signed by Special Master Christian J. Moran. 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SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC ORDER (Originally filed: 11/30/2016) regarding 103 Order on Motion to Redact Decision. Signed by Special Master Christian J. Moran. (SP) Copy to parties.","date_issued":"2017-01-03","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"docketText matches skip keyword 'motion'","download_status":"skipped"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_13-vv-00472-3","title":"O'MALLEY et al v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 8/22/2017) regarding 119 DECISION of Special Master - Fees. Signed by Special Master Christian J. Moran. (abs) Copy to parties.","date_issued":"2017-10-03","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"fees-only decision (attorney compensation)","download_status":"skipped"}]}