Four years later, many of the vaccine injured are still waiting for help.
- Operation Kayla
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Broken Promises: Real People, Real Pain — The Failures of Canada’s VISP
The Vaccine Injury Support Program (VISP) — created by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and run by Oxaro Inc. — was supposed to be a safety net for Canadians who suffered serious, permanent injuries after COVID-19 vaccination. But a deep-dive investigation by Global News reveals a very different reality: for many claimants, the program has become a source of frustration, financial distress, and emotional trauma.
Stories of Harm and Delay
Kayla Pollock
Kayla Pollock, a former kindergarten assistant, developed transverse myelitis (a serious spinal cord inflammation) shortly after receiving her COVID vaccine. The condition left her unable to walk and dependent on a wheelchair.
She first submitted her VISP application in July 2022, but it was lost internally and she had to start over. Years later, she remains stuck in the “intake” stage with no resolution in sight.
The situation has devastated her life. She lost her home, survives on disability payments, and relies on community fundraising to cover basic needs. In moments of despair, she was even offered Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) because of the severity of her condition and lack of support.
Pollock told Global News that the financial and emotional burden has become overwhelming:“It costs me more to be alive than if I were dead.”
Becky Marie Campbell
Becky Marie Campbell, a teacher and mother of four, experienced numbness, paralysis, and mobility problems after her vaccination. Her own physician concluded the reaction was “most likely related” to the shot.
Despite this, VISP’s review panel — made up of doctors she has never met — rejected her submission.
Campbell has accumulated around $20,000 in debt from therapy, mobility equipment, and medical treatments. The process has left her exhausted and unheard:“I felt like I didn’t exist — like I was just a faceless person.”
Mike Becker
Within a short time of being vaccinated, Mike Becker developed deep vein thrombosis, leaving him with chronic swelling, pain, vertigo, and fatigue.
Although VISP acknowledged that many of his symptoms started immediately after the injection, the panel reviewing his file still refused to accept a connection. A missing platelet count from his hematologist became a major factor in the rejection.
Becker appealed, but his file reportedly sat untouched for nearly two years, was accidentally closed at one point, and required him to repeatedly push for action.
His frustration is raw and direct:“VISP is a big scam. It’s not working to help people injured like me.”
Kimberly & Stephen MacDougall
Stephen MacDougall died in May 2021 from myopericarditis, a rare inflammation of the heart. His wife, Kimberly, and their two children sought support through VISP’s death benefit process.
The benefit they received did little to offset the long-term financial and emotional impact of losing a husband and father. Initially, VISP offered to fund only 15 therapy sessions — barely enough for a few months of grief counseling.
Even obtaining basic documents, such as the autopsy and death certificate, became an uphill battle due to poor communication and administrative holdups.
Kimberly describes the process as draining and insensitive, compounding the trauma of their loss.
Shannon Dupont
Manitoba social worker Shannon Dupont suffered a stroke, Bell’s palsy, vision impairment, dexterity problems, and an autoimmune disorder after receiving her COVID vaccinations.
Throughout her experience with VISP, she was assigned nine different case managers, each time having to restart the process and retell her story.
She eventually received a one-time payment of about $24,294, but she says the program failed to acknowledge a number of her injuries and ongoing expenses. On top of that, her insurer is now seeking $86,000 in reimbursement, money she originally believed VISP would cover.
Her words capture the program’s emotional toll:“They don’t treat us as human beings. It feels like they’re waiting for us to die.”
Carol Messenger
British Columbia resident and retired firefighter Carol Messenger suffered a spinal injury connected to her vaccination and requested support from VISP.
In an astonishing administrative error, she was wrongly recorded as deceased in program paperwork — and the mistake went uncorrected for five months, delaying her case.
Despite being very much alive and actively seeking assistance, her file remained stuck in a “pre-medical assessment” stage. An apology eventually came, but she described it as hollow and inadequate.
Carrie Sakamoto
After her second COVID shot, Carrie Sakamoto developed Bell’s palsy, resulting in facial paralysis and ongoing medical issues.
VISP awarded her $62,500, but the program rejected a broad range of her medical expenses, including hearing aids, therapy, medications, and eyewear.
She also faced constant staff turnover — nine case managers — which repeatedly caused lost documents, missing information, and constant restarts.
In 2023 she sought a reassessment, but VISP denied it after a panel of physicians concluded her long-term issues were not related to the vaccine.
Sakamoto is now part of a class-action lawsuit in Alberta targeting both PHAC and Oxaro.
Systemic Issues Revealed
1. Inadequate preparation and internal dysfunction
Former Oxaro employees described a chaotic workplace with little medical expertise, inconsistent leadership, and poor organization. From the beginning, the company appears to have been unprepared for a program of this magnitude.
2. Large administrative spending vs. limited support
Of the roughly $50.6 million paid to Oxaro, only $16.9 million has gone to people seeking support. This imbalance raises serious concerns about priorities.
3. Unreliable communication and high case-manager turnover
Many individuals spoke of constant turnover, lost paperwork, unreturned calls, and months-long stretches without updates.
4. Medical reviews conducted at a distance
Some decisions were made by doctors who never met the individuals involved, creating frustration and a sense of procedural injustice.
5. Government intervention
Due to widespread complaints, PHAC has launched an audit of Oxaro’s management of VISP. When Oxaro’s contract ends in 2026, PHAC plans to take over administration directly.
Read the full Global News story at the link below.
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