Heather Goff v. HHS - Influenza, ischemic stroke (2025)

Heather Goff, a 43-year-old adult, received an influenza vaccination on March 22, 2016. Eight days later, she experienced symptoms including right arm weakness, facial drooping, and difficulty speaking, leading to a diagnosis of an acute ischemic stroke.

Medical evaluations revealed a left middle cerebral artery territory infarct and a potential filling defect in her left internal carotid artery, later identified as atherosclerotic plaque or a carotid web. Ms.

Goff filed a petition alleging the influenza vaccine caused her stroke, presenting expert testimony from Dr. Laura Boylan who theorized that the vaccine provoked an inflammatory response that, combined with her carotid web, led to the stroke.

The respondent, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, presented expert testimony from Dr. Steven Messé, who opined that Ms.

Goff's stroke was not related to the vaccine and was more likely caused by her underlying carotid web or atherosclerotic plaque. Dr.

Messé also noted that influenza vaccination is generally associated with a reduced risk of stroke. The Special Master denied Ms.

Goff's petition, finding she failed to establish causation under the Althen prongs. Specifically, the Special Master found insufficient evidence that a carotid web requires an inflammatory trigger, that the influenza vaccine produces the necessary inflammatory effects, or that Ms.

Goff suffered inflammatory symptoms post-vaccination. The Special Master also found that Ms.

Goff's carotid web was a more likely cause of her stroke and that the temporal relationship between the vaccination and stroke was not definitively established as medically acceptable for inferring causation. The Court of Federal Claims affirmed the Special Master's decision, finding it was not arbitrary or capricious and that Ms.

Goff failed to meet her burden of proof.