The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed creating a “Presumed Injury List” for COVID-19 vaccine claims, a move officials say could significantly simplify and accelerate the compensation process for people who suffer certain recognized adverse reactions after vaccination.

The proposal, announced Friday by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., would establish a list of specific medical conditions that are presumed to have been caused by a COVID-19 vaccine if they occur within a defined period after vaccination. Claimants whose injuries fall within those criteria would no longer be required to prove that the vaccine caused their condition, dramatically reducing the burden of filing a successful claim.

Under the current system, individuals seeking compensation through the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP) must present medical evidence establishing a causal link between the vaccine and their injury—a process that critics have long argued is difficult, time-consuming, and often unsuccessful.

If adopted, the Presumed Injury List would function similarly to the Vaccine Injury Table used by the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), which covers many routine childhood vaccines and allows certain injuries to qualify automatically if they occur within established medical timeframes.

HHS said the proposed policy is intended to make the compensation process more predictable, transparent, and accessible while ensuring that individuals with well-documented vaccine-related injuries receive compensation more quickly.

The department has not yet released a finalized list of injuries that would qualify under the proposal. Instead, HHS said the list would be developed based on scientific and medical evidence and would be updated as additional data becomes available.

The announcement marks one of the most significant proposed changes to the federal government’s handling of COVID-19 vaccine injury claims since the vaccines became available during the pandemic.

The proposal will undergo a public comment period before any final policy is adopted. During that time, HHS is expected to solicit input from physicians, scientists, patient advocacy organizations, vaccine manufacturers, and members of the public.

Supporters of the proposal argue that recognizing well-established vaccine injuries will provide faster assistance to those affected while strengthening confidence in the compensation system. Others are expected to closely scrutinize which medical conditions are ultimately included on the presumed injury list and the scientific standards used to determine eligibility.

No timeline has yet been announced for when the Presumed Injury List could take effect if the proposal is finalized.