A two-year-old boy who was paralyzed from the neck down after receiving the polio vaccine died this weekend from pneumonia. Zachary Strain was two-months old in 1999 when he received the oral vaccine, which is made from a live virus. The oral vaccine actually causes polio in one out of every 2.4 million doses.
The use of the oral vaccine was halted in January 2000 in favor of a version that is administered through injection. Attorneys representing the toddler's parents hope to reach a settlement through a special government vaccine compensation program. However, a malpractice lawsuit against the infant's doctor and hospital is being considered.