Cutter Incident (1955)
artifactBiotech & Transhumanism
A 1955 vaccine disaster that paralyzed children set the legal precedent that eventually let vaccine makers off the financial hook.
Who they are
The Cutter Incident, a 1955 batch of Salk polio vaccine made by Cutter Laboratories.
What they do
Some vaccine batches contained live, dangerous polio virus even though they passed the required federal safety tests.
How it works
The bad batches caused 207 cases of vaccine-caused paralytic polio. In the resulting case (Gottsdanker v. Cutter), the California Supreme Court ruled that even though Cutter wasn't negligent, it was still legally and financially liable, setting a precedent that manufacturers faced huge financial exposure.
Why it matters
That threat of ruinous liability is what led, 31 years later, to the 1986 law shielding vaccine makers, which is the industry's response traced back to this event.
The engine's record — word for word
Salk polio vaccine batches manufactured by Cutter Laboratories contained live, virulent polio virus despite passing required federal safety testing. 207 cases of vaccine-induced paralytic poliomyelitis. **Gottsdanker v. Cutter Laboratories:** California Supreme Court upheld jury ruling that even though Cutter was not negligent in design or manufacture, company was strictly liable + financially responsible under implied warranty. Precedent: catastrophic financial exposure to vaccine manufacturers under tort law. The 1986 NCVIA was the manufacturer-side response 31 years later.
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