Angelia R. Andrews v. HHS - Influenza, connective tissue disease, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) (2021)

Angelia Andrews filed a petition alleging that she suffered connective tissue disease, specifically Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), as a result of an influenza vaccination she received on August 2, 2014. She also received a pneumonia vaccine on the same day.

Within 24 hours of vaccination, she experienced a local reaction at the injection site, including fever, chills, muscle aches, and joint pain. Her treating physicians noted a vaccination side effect and possible reaction to the pneumonia shot.

Petitioner's expert, Dr. Thomas Zizic, opined that she met four of the eleven American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for SLE and that the flu vaccine caused her condition through molecular mimicry.

Respondent's expert, Dr. Robert Lightfoot, opined that Petitioner did not meet the criteria for SLE and likely had fibromyalgia, and that there was no evidence linking the flu vaccine to SLE through molecular mimicry.

The court found that Petitioner did not preponderantly demonstrate that she had SLE, as she only met two of the eleven ACR criteria. Furthermore, the court found that Petitioner had not presented a sound and reliable medical theory connecting the flu vaccine to SLE, nor had she established a logical sequence of cause and effect or a medically acceptable temporal relationship.

The court also noted that none of Petitioner's treating physicians diagnosed her with SLE; her rheumatologist suggested fibromyalgia. Consequently, the petition was denied.