After 17 years the French State Council finally acknowledged the devastating injuries a five month old baby suffered after receiving a five in one vaccination from her doctor.

In 1995, five months old Ines received the Pentacoq vaccine as part of her regular scheduled childhood vaccinations. One week later the tiny baby was rushed to hospital with serious neurological complications said to have been caused by the vaccine, leaving her with 95% disabilities

The Pentacoq vaccine was given to French babies in the early 1990’s to protect them from whooping cough, haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), diphtheria, tetanus and polio. However, in 1995 due to many children suffering from severe sides affects the vaccination was banned and later replaced.

According to the website ‘Prevent Disease,’ (1) at the time baby Ines was vaccinated, the vaccination was mandatory and therefore the MSA (French Farmers Mutual Insurance) paid her medical costs. The French State Council has now ruled that the Government, and more specifically the Ministry of Health, are to pay not only 3 million euros in compensation to this severely disabled young woman but also to compensate the MSA for all of the medical costs that they incurred.

Pre-2002, the French government assumed any risk linked to vaccinations, however, in 2004 this changed and the responsibility for vaccine related injuries shifted to ONIAM (French Medical Malpractice Compensation Authority) who are now required to pay vaccine-related benefits. Sanofi-Pasteur, the manufacturer of the Pentacoq vaccine, escaped scot-free. read more here