Joanne Seivwright v. HHS - Influenza, seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (2023)

Joanne Seivwright alleged that the influenza vaccine she received on November 9, 2016, caused her to develop seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. She filed a petition for compensation with the Court of Federal Claims on September 12, 2019.

Ms. Seivwright submitted medical records and expert reports, including from Dr.

Gershwin, to support her claim. The Secretary of Health and Human Services argued that rheumatoid arthritis is not a Table Injury and that Ms.

Seivwright had not proven causation. The Secretary's experts, Dr.

Little and Dr. Oddis, provided opinions that Ms.

Seivwright did not meet the diagnostic criteria for seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, citing a lack of synovitis. The court's tentative finding noted that Ms.

Seivwright had not met her burden to establish diagnosis, a theory of causation, or appropriate timing for the alleged injury. Specifically, the court found the Secretary's experts more persuasive regarding diagnosis and noted a lack of evidence linking the flu vaccine to rheumatoid arthritis, as well as insufficient proof of causation timing.

On March 6, 2023, Ms. Seivwright moved to dismiss her own petition.

The court granted the motion, dismissing the case with prejudice for insufficient proof.