Mary Brodie v. HHS - Prevnar, myocardial infarction (2017)

Mary Brodie, an 80-year-old woman, filed a petition on October 30, 2017, alleging that the Prevnar 13 vaccine she received on June 1, 2015, caused her myocardial infarction (STEMI). Petitioner's counsel was Renée J.

Gentry, and respondent's counsel was Claudia B. Gangi.

Special Master Laura D. Millman presided over the case.

Petitioner had numerous risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including age, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, a history of smoking, hyperlipidemia, a brain mass/aneurysm, obesity, and a family history of stroke. Nineteen days after vaccination, on June 20, 2015, Ms.

Brodie presented to the emergency department with chest pain, diaphoresis, general malaise, and nausea, and was diagnosed with a STEMI. A cardiac catheterization revealed a 99% thrombotic occlusion of the right coronary artery, for which a stent was inserted.

The coronary angiography also showed diffuse disease in other segments of her coronary arteries. Petitioner reportedly insisted that the "pneumonia shot" caused her heart attack.

Despite being given multiple extensions, totaling five months, to find an expert to support her claim of vaccine causation, petitioner's counsel informed the court on October 23, 2017, that they would not be filing an expert report and would instead file a motion to dismiss. On October 30, 2017, petitioner filed a motion to dismiss, stating she would be unable to prove entitlement to compensation and that further proceedings would be unreasonable and a waste of resources.

Special Master Millman granted the motion and dismissed the case, noting that the medical records did not support the allegations and that petitioner had failed to provide expert medical opinion to establish causation. The decision was issued on October 30, 2017.

No award was made as the case was dismissed.