{"package_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-01048","decision_granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-01048-2","petitioner_identifier":"V.H.","is_minor":1,"age_at_vaccination":5.0,"age_unit_raw":"years","vaccine_type":"influenza","vaccination_date":"2012-09-24","condition_raw":"narcolepsy with cataplexy","condition_category":"narcolepsy_cataplexy","autism_spectrum_adjacent":0,"outcome":"denied","award_amount_usd":null,"decision_date":"2022-08-31","extraction_version":"gemini-v2","extracted_at":"2026-04-30T00:39:13.013893+00:00","number_of_concurrent_vaccines":1,"dose_number":2,"time_to_onset_days":28,"theory_of_causation":"Petitioners alleged that the FluMist vaccine administered on September 24, 2012, caused V.H.'s narcolepsy with cataplexy. Petitioners' expert, Dr. Lawrence Steinman, proposed a theory of molecular mimicry, suggesting that the nucleoprotein in the FluMist vaccine shared similarities with orexin or its receptor, triggering an autoimmune response. Dr. Steinman identified a five-out-of-ten amino acid homology between influenza B nucleoprotein and an epitope in orexin identified in the Latorre article, which he argued was sufficient to induce autoimmunity. Respondent's experts, Drs. Andrew MacGinnitie and David Raizen, disputed this theory, citing issues with the statistical significance of the homology, the relevance of the animal studies used by Dr. Steinman, and the lack of epidemiological evidence linking FluMist to narcolepsy. They also noted that the Latorre study did not find cross-reactivity with influenza vaccines. The Special Master denied the petition, finding that petitioners failed to establish causation-in-fact, a logical sequence of cause and effect, and a proximate temporal relationship. The Special Master found Dr. Steinman's theory relied on temporal proximity and lacked sufficient evidence of an autoimmune reaction. The Court of Federal Claims upheld the Special Master's decision.","is_death":0,"date_of_death":null,"petition_filed_date":"2015-09-21","case_summary":"Deidre and Alex Henkel, parents of V.H., a minor, filed a petition on September 21, 2015, alleging that the intranasal seasonal influenza vaccine (FluMist) V.H. received on September 24, 2012, caused him to develop narcolepsy with cataplexy. V.H. was five years old at the time of vaccination. Petitioners first noticed increased fatigue and sleepiness in late October and November 2012, approximately one to two months after the vaccination. Medical records documented V.H.'s progressive sleepiness, leading to a diagnosis of narcolepsy with cataplexy by Stanford Sleep Medicine Center in September 2013, with a genetic marker associated with narcolepsy (DQB1*0602) identified. Petitioners' expert, Dr. Lawrence Steinman, proposed a theory of molecular mimicry, suggesting that components of the FluMist vaccine, specifically nucleoprotein, shared similarities with orexin or its receptor, potentially triggering an autoimmune response leading to narcolepsy. Respondent's experts, Drs. Andrew MacGinnitie and David Raizen, contested this theory. Dr. MacGinnitie argued that the homology identified by Dr. Steinman was not statistically significant and that the studies relied upon by Dr. Steinman were flawed. Dr. Raizen stated that there was no evidence linking influenza B vaccination to narcolepsy and that the epidemiological studies did not support a link between FluMist and narcolepsy. Special Master Herbrina Sanders denied the petition, finding that petitioners failed to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the flu vaccine was the cause-in-fact of V.H.'s narcolepsy. The Special Master concluded that Dr. Steinman's theory relied on temporal proximity alone and lacked sufficient support in the medical records to demonstrate a logical sequence of cause and effect. The Special Master also found that the medical records did not contain evidence of an autoimmune reaction in V.H. and that the temporal relationship between the vaccination and the onset of symptoms was not sufficiently established. On review, Senior Judge Loren A. Smith upheld the Special Master's decision, finding no arbitrary or capricious action, and denied the motion for review. The case was therefore denied compensation.","is_minor_inferred":1,"is_pediatric_broad":1,"special_master":"Herbrina Sanders Young","petitioner_identifier_original":null,"caption_petitioner_name":null,"petitioner_attorney_name":"Edward M. Kraus","petitioner_attorney_firm":"Law Offices of Chicago Kent; Kraus Law Group","petitioner_attorney_location":"Chicago, IL","adjudicator_name":null,"caption_people_backfilled_at":null,"attorney_canonical_keys":"|edward-kraus|","firm_canonical_key":"law-offices-of-chicago-kent","package_title":"HENKEL et al v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","canonical_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-01048","plain_text_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-01048.txt","json_url":"https://vicp-registry.org/case/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-01048.json","source_documents":[{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-01048-0","title":"HENKEL et al v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 1/19/2022) regarding 102 DECISION of Special Master - Interim Attorney's Fees. Signed by Special Master Herbrina Sanders. (rig) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2022-02-08","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-01048-1","title":"HENKEL et al v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"PUBLIC DECISION (Originally filed: 08/31/2022) regarding 107 DECISION of Special Master. Signed by Special Master Herbrina Sanders. (rig) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2022-10-31","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-01048/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-01048-1/pdf","pdf_bytes":688852,"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-01048/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-01048-1"},{"granule_id":"USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-01048-2","title":"HENKEL et al v. SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","docket_text":"JUDGE VACCINE REPORTED OPINION reissuing 116 Judge Vaccine Order/Opinion. Signed by Senior Judge Loren A. Smith. (msh) Service on parties made.","date_issued":"2023-04-05","pdf_url":"https://api.govinfo.gov/packages/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-01048/granules/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-01048-2/pdf","pdf_bytes":339679,"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-01048/USCOURTS-cofc-1_15-vv-01048-2"}]}