{"package_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00734","decision_granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00734-2","petitioner_identifier":"Amy N. Heddens","is_minor":null,"age_at_vaccination":null,"age_unit_raw":null,"vaccine_type":"HPV","vaccination_date":"2012-12-03","condition_raw":"multiple sclerosis","condition_category":"other","autism_spectrum_adjacent":0,"outcome":"denied","award_amount_usd":null,"decision_date":"2019-04-30","extraction_version":"gemini-v2","extracted_at":"2026-04-30T04:47:39.057128+00:00","number_of_concurrent_vaccines":1,"dose_number":3,"time_to_onset_days":43,"theory_of_causation":"Off-Table","is_death":0,"date_of_death":null,"petition_filed_date":"2015-10-05","case_summary":"Amy N. Heddens received her third dose of the HPV vaccine on December 3, 2012. She alleged that this vaccination caused or significantly aggravated multiple sclerosis (MS). Prior to vaccination, on June 30, 2010, she had experienced symptoms including frequent urination, loss of balance, and blurry vision, which one expert opined could have been an initial manifestation of MS. However, the physician's assistant who saw her at that time did not attribute significance to these symptoms. After vaccination, on January 18, 2013, Ms. Heddens experienced double vision and dizziness, leading to an MRI that revealed multiple enhancing lesions in her brain. A neurologist diagnosed her with MS. Both parties' experts agreed on the MS diagnosis, but differed on the timing of the initial manifestation. The court found that Ms. Heddens likely had brain lesions before the vaccination, leading the case to be analyzed as a significant aggravation claim. To succeed, she had to prove that the HPV vaccine could cause an exacerbation of MS. The court found she failed to meet this burden, relying on epidemiological studies that did not support a link between the HPV vaccine and MS, and finding that the proposed theory of molecular mimicry, supported by expert testimony and two articles, lacked sufficient empirical evidence to establish a probability of causation. The Special Master denied compensation, and this decision was affirmed on review by the Court of Federal Claims.","is_minor_inferred":0,"is_pediatric_broad":0,"special_master":"Christian J. Moran","petitioner_identifier_original":null,"caption_petitioner_name":null,"petitioner_attorney_name":"Meredith Daniels; Ronald C. Homer","petitioner_attorney_firm":"Conway & Homer, P.C.","petitioner_attorney_location":"Boston, MA","adjudicator_name":null,"caption_people_backfilled_at":null,"attorney_canonical_keys":"|meredith-daniels|ronald-homer|","firm_canonical_key":"conway-homer","package_title":"HEDDENS v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","canonical_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00734","plain_text_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00734.txt","json_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00734.json","source_documents":[{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00734-0","title":"HEDDENS v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 11/10/16) regarding 48 DECISION of Special Master - Interim Attorney's Fees. Signed by Special Master Christian J. Moran. (dh) Copy to parties.","date_issued":"2016-12-01","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"fees-only decision (attorney compensation)","download_status":"skipped"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00734-1","title":"HEDDENS v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 10/5/2018) regarding 94 DECISION of Special Master. Signed by Special Master Christian J. Moran. (abs) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2018-11-01","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00734/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00734-1/pdf","pdf_bytes":205486,"triage_decision":"keep","triage_reason":"docketText matches keep keyword 'decision of special master'","download_status":"ok","registry_pdf_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00734/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00734-1"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00734-2","title":"HEDDENS v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"JUDGE VACCINE REPORTED OPINION: Pursuant to Rule 18(b) of the Vaccine Rules of this court, this opinion was initially filed under seal on 3/12/2019, see 106 Opinion on Motion for Review. Pursuant to paragraph 4 of the ordering language, the parties were to propose redactions of the information contained therein on or before 3/26/2019. No proposed redactions were submitted to the court. Signed by Judge Patricia E. Campbell-Smith. (TQ) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2019-04-30","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00734/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00734-2/pdf","pdf_bytes":253810,"triage_decision":"keep","triage_reason":"docketText matches keep keyword 'opinion'","download_status":"ok","registry_pdf_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/pdf/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00734/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00734-2"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-00734-3","title":"HEDDENS v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 10/24/2019) regarding 112 DECISION of Special Master - Fees Signed by Special Master Christian J. Moran. (nh) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2019-11-06","pdf_url":null,"pdf_bytes":null,"triage_decision":"skip","triage_reason":"fees-only decision (attorney compensation)","download_status":"skipped"}]}