No. 25-924

Tessa Needham, et al. v. Merck & Company, Inc., et al.

Lower Court: Fourth Circuit
Docketed: 2026-02-05
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: administrative-law constitutional-law judicial-review presentment-clause res-judicata vaccine-compensation
Latest Conference: 2026-03-27
Question Presented (from Petition)

Did the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals err by finding that a special masters' findings in Plaintiffs' claims filed in the Department of Health and Human Services administrative Vaccine Injury Compensation Plan ("VICP") were entitled to res judicata effect when the Vaccine Act expressly allows a plaintiff to reject a VICP decision and file a de novo action in a district court?

The Fourth Circuit's decision below is contrary to Shalala v. Whitecotton, 514 U.S. 268 (1995).

Did the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals err by holding the National Childhood Injury Act ("Vaccine Act"), 42 U.S.C. §§ 300aa-1 et seq. was constitutional where Congress enacted a Vaccine Table in the Act itself listing the vaccines and injuries covered by the Act, but the Act purported to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services by regulatory action alone to amend or repeal the vaccines and injuries covered by the Act without an act of Congress signed by the President, as required by the presentment clause of the United States Constitution, article I, section 7, clause 2?

The Fourth Circuit's decision below conflicts with Clinton v. City of New York, 524 U.S. 417, 438 (1998) ("There is no provision in the Constitution that authorizes the President to enact, to amend, or to repeal statutes.") and Terran v. Secretary of Health and Human Services, 195 F.3d 1302, 1317-1321 (Fed. Cir. 1999) (Plager, J. Dissenting).

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the Fourth Circuit erred in finding res judicata effect for special masters' findings in Vaccine Injury Compensation Plan claims and in upholding the constitutionality of the National Childhood Injury Act's regulatory amendment provisions

Docket Entries

2026-03-30
Petition DENIED.
2026-03-11
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/27/2026.
2026-03-05
Waiver of Merck & Co., Inc., et al. of right to respond submitted.
2026-03-05
Waiver of right of respondent Merck & Co., Inc., et al. to respond filed.
2026-02-02
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due March 9, 2026)
2025-12-01
Application (25A615) granted by The Chief Justice extending the time to file until February 1, 2026.
2025-11-18
Application (25A615) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from December 3, 2025 to February 1, 2026, submitted to The Chief Justice.

Attorneys

Merck & Co., Inc., et al.
Edward James DumoulinGoldman Ismail Tomaselli Brennan & Baum LLP, Respondent
Tessa Needham, et al.
Kenneth S. RobbinsBronster Fujichaku Robbins, Petitioner