All of Europe might have just taken a massive blow to science, health and common sense. The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled that scientific evidence plays no role in “vaccine injury” cases.
Defining its mission as consumer protection, the CJEU said Europeans ought to be able to sue manufacturers, “excluding any method of proof,” because of the imbalance of power between individual consumers versus large corporations. Europe’s courts, the CJEU ruled, have a duty to “protect consumer health and safety and ensure a fair apportionment between the injured person and the producer of the risks inherent in modern technological production.”
Not only does the ruling spit in the face of science and common sense. Worst case scenario courts start ruling in trolls favor and vaccine manufacturers have to shut down shop in Europe, resulting in deaths all across the world.
Though unlikely it’s more likely that it’s seen as risky to invest in vaccine research. Which means there will be a delay before new vaccines are developed.
The EU court this week decided that it was unfair to require a plaintiff to provide “serious, specific and consistent evidence … that there is a causal link between that defect and that disease.” If there was a burden to prove, or disprove, such a link, it would be placed on the defendants.
“The European Court Ruling does not appear to be consistent with the normal rational scientific approach to analysis of evidence, and the decision risks undermining vaccine programmes which save millions of lives around the world every year.” –Andrew Pollard, Professor of Paediatric Infection & Immunity, University of Oxford, & Chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation
It is important to point out that unlike in the US where you can start a lawsuit for anything in Europe you can only sue if there is grounds to do so to begin with. This doesn’t necessarily mean the plaintiffs can win a case without evidence. It does however mean that they can drag legit companies through a costly lawsuit.
Should you wish to convey your displeasement witht his decision you can fin the contact details for the EU Court of Justice here.