Judge Denies AstraZeneca’s Motion to Dismiss in Vaccine Injury Case

The judge said that legal immunity granted to vaccine manufacturers does not protect against a breach of contract claim.

A dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, in an undated file photo. Louai Beshara/AFP via Getty Images

A federal law that grants broad legal immunity to vaccine manufacturers does not protect AstraZeneca against a breach of contract claim brought by a woman who was injured by the company’s vaccine, a U.S. judge ruled on Nov. 4.

The Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act protects manufacturers of vaccines during times of emergency, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.