Danielle Jennings v. HHS - HPV, asthma/breathing problems (2021)

Danielle Jennings, a minor at the time of vaccination, filed a petition for compensation under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Compensation Program on June 30, 2016. She alleged that the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine she received caused various conditions, including asthma/breathing problems, chronic fatigue syndrome, and gastrointestinal dysfunction.

The respondent, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, disputed that Ms. Jennings had demonstrated a vaccine-related injury and argued against the temporality of the alleged symptoms, noting that some occurred before vaccination and some diagnoses occurred months after.

The Special Master, Christian J. Moran, reviewed extensive medical records and expert opinions.

The decision found that Ms. Jennings had not established a diagnosis for many of the claimed conditions, such as food allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, and gastrointestinal disease, with insufficient evidence in the medical records.

Regarding her breathing difficulties, the court determined that these symptoms predated the vaccination. Specifically, on March 23, 2013, the same day she received her first dose of the HPV vaccine, she presented to her pediatrician, Marcia Newcombe, with breathing problems after running, and was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma.

Therefore, the court concluded that the HPV vaccine did not cause her breathing problems. The case was decided on the papers without a hearing.

Compensation was denied because Ms. Jennings failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that she suffered from a defined injury caused by the vaccine, and her pre-existing breathing issues were not significantly aggravated by the vaccination.

The decision was reissued on April 20, 2021. Petitioner counsel was Scott W.

Rooney, and respondent counsel was Darryl Wishard. Ms.

Jennings sought redaction of the decision, but her motions were denied.