Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law
Brian Dean Abramson, Esq., LL.M.
Author: Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law


BRIAN DEAN ABRAMSON is a leading expert on vaccine law, teaching the subject as adjunct professor of vaccine law at the Florida International University College of Law. He is the primary author of Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law, the most comprehensive treatise written with respect to this field of law, published by Bloomberg Law in cooperation with the American Health Law Association in November 2018, and regularly updated thereafter.
A second print edition will be forthcoming in late 2021 to early 2022.
Brian previously worked for Bloomberg Law, for whom he authored the vaccine injury claims chapter of Matthew H. Solomson’s Court of Federal Claims: Jurisdiction, Practice, and Procedure, and for whom he wrote extensively in the fields of health and international privacy law.
Brian was a law clerk for the Honorable Pauline Newman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, where he took an exceptional interest in the court’s vaccine injury docket. Prior to this, he interned with the Honorable Susan G. Braden of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and practiced intellectual property law with the firm of Lott & Friedland in Coral Gables, Florida.
He received an MA in Comparative Sociology from Florida International University, followed by his JD, summa cum laude, from the Florida International University College of Law, and an LLM in intellectual property law with highest honors from the George Washington University Law School.
Selected Lectures and Presentations
- “From the Front Lines: Implementing & Defending a Mandatory Vaccination Policy… It’s Not Over ‘til It’s Over,” American Health Law Association Physicians & Hospitals Law Institute (February 3, 2021).
- “Vaccines, Mandates, and the Law,” GW Law (Dec. 8, 2021), with Prof. Aram Gavoor.
- Villanova Health Law Society, Vaccine Mandate Panel (November 16, 2021).
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims: Litigating Claims for Adverse Events, New York City Bar (November 10, 2021). LINK TO PROGRAM.
- Belmont Health Law Journal Fall Symposium panelist (October 27, 2021)
- “Navigating Vaccine Mandates: Leadership, Legal, and Policy Insights,” AHLA (October 26, 2021). LINK TO PROGRAM.
- “Vaccine Mandates: Health Care Organizations’ Internal Vaccine Carrots & Sticks,” AHLA/ASHRM (September 23, 2021, October 20, 2021, November 17, 2021).
- “Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law,” CLE lecture and materials presented to the D.C. Bar (February 25, 2021). LINK TO PROGRAM.
- “Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law,” AIPLA Mid-Winter Institute Featured Speaker (February 4, 2021).
- “Essentials of Vaccination and Immunization Law: In the Time of COVID-19,” CLE lecture and materials presented to the Virginia Legal Foundation (January 12, February 17, and March 2, 2021). LINK TO PROGRAM.
- “Essentials of Vaccination and Immunization Law: In the Time of COVID-19,” CLE lecture and materials presented to MyCLE.com (January 8, 2021).
- “Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law,” World Vaccine Congress West Coast (December 3, 2020).
- “FIU Virtual Fly-In: Vaccine Law and Policy” (FIU In DC, October 30, 2020).
- “Preparing Providers for a COVID-19 Vaccine,“ Speaking of Health Law (AHLA, October 22, 2020), with Jerry Williamson, M.D. LINK TO PROGRAM.
- “Vaccine Law,” World Vaccine Congress, Panel Chair (September 28-29, 2020).
- “Take a Recess with GW Law: Regulatory Issues of COVID-19 Vaccine Development” (September 25, 2020), with Prof. Dmitry Karshted.
- “Preparing Health Care Providers for a COVID-19 Vaccine” (AHLA, September 23, 2020), with Jerry Williamson, M.D.
- “Vaccine Law and Covid19,” CLE lecture and materials presented to the New Jersey State Bar (June 17, 2020).
- Guest lecturer, Vaccine Law, American University Washington College of Law (June 13, 2021).
- “Law in the Time of COVID-19,” CLE lecture and materials presented to the NACLE (May 15, 2020).
- “FIU: More Than a Major Episode #10: Vaccine Law for COVID-19 and Tips for Law School with Brian Abramson,” podcast (FIU Honors College, April 22, 2020).
- “Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law,” CLE lecture and materials presented to the D.C. Bar (April 28, 2020).
- “This Week in BS: Vaccine Law with Brian Dean Abramson,” podcast (January 26, 2020).
- “Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law,” Florida International University Honors College (September 26, 2019). LINK TO PROGRAM.
- “Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law,” Florida International University College of Law (September 26, 2019).
- “Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law,” CLE lecture and materials presented at Tsinghua University School of Law, Beijing (April 25, 2019).
- “Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law,” CLE lecture and materials presented at the Virginia Legal Foundation (April 8, 2019).
- “This Week in BS: Vaccination Crisis,” podcast (February 28, 2019).
- “Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law,” lecture and materials presented at the University of Georgia School of Law (February 8, 2019).
- “Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law,” lecture and materials presented at The George Washington University Law School (January 30, 2019).
PUBLICATIONS
Publications in Vaccine Law:
- Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law, Second Edition (AHLA, forthcoming 2022).
- “At War With COVID-19,“ 14 J. Fed. Cir. Hist. Soc. 7-28 (2021).
- “Do US teens have the right to be vaccinated against their parents’ will? It depends on where they live,” The Conversation (August 31, 2021).
- Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law 2021 Annual Update (Bloomberg Law; 2021).
- Vaccine Claims Before the United States Court of Federal Claims 2021 Update, chapter in Court of Federal Claims: Jurisdiction, Practice and Procedure (Matthew Solomson, ed.; BNA Books 2021).
- “Vaccination Mandates in the Pandemic Environment,” in Top Ten Issues In Health Law, AHLA Connections (AHLA, January 2021).
- “Preparing Health Care Providers for a COVID-19 Vaccine,” 13 J. Health & Life Science Law 2-11 (July 2020).
- Legal Issues in Expediting a COVID-19 Vaccine (Bloomberg Law, May 2020); LINK TO ARTICLE.
- Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law COVID-19 Update (Bloomberg Law, April 2020).
- Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law 2020 Annual Update (Bloomberg Law, 2020), with Dorit Reiss, Esq.
- International and Comparative Vaccine Laws (Bloomberg Law, 2020), with Dorit Reiss, Esq.
- Vaccine Law in the Health Care Workplace, 12 J. Health & Life Sci. L. 22-38 (2019).
- Vaccine, Vaccination, and Immunization Law (Bloomberg Law/AHLA, 2018).
- Vaccine Claims Before the United States Court of Federal Claims, chapter in Court of Federal Claims: Jurisdiction, Practice and Procedure (Matthew Solomson, ed.; BNA Books, 2017).
Publications in other areas:
- Bloomberg BNA privacy law country profiles (Australia; Brazil; Canada; Colombia; Hungary; Kazakhstan; Mexico; South Korea; and Vietnam) and state profiles (Alberta; British Columbia; Baden-Württemberg; and Bavaria) (2016).
- The Patent Ambush: Misuse, or Caveat Emptor?, 51 IDEA 71-109 (2011).
- Special Remedies for Counterfeit, in Trademark Infringement Remedies Cumulative Supplement (Brian E. Banner, ed., BNA Books 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010). With Leslie J. Lott (Senior Partner, Lott & Fischer, P.A.).
- A Question of Deference: Contrasting the Patent and Trademark Jurisdiction of the Federal Circuit, top five finalist out of 125 submissions to the Federal Circuit Bar Association’s 2009 George Hutchinson Writing Competition; 29 Temp. J. Sci. Tech. & Envtl. L. 1-29 (2010).
- Let Them Eat Smoke: The Case for Exempting the Tobacco Industry from Antitrust, 6 Cardozo Pub. L. Pol’y & Ethics J. 345-399 (2008).
- Expert Witnesses: When Are They Necessary and Does Daubert/Kumho Make a Difference, SN053 ALI-ABA 279-301 (2008), with Leslie J. Lott, Esq.
- Opening Stages of TTAB inter partes Proceedings, in PLI Navigating Trademark Practice Before the PTO 2008: From Filing Through the TTAB Hearing (2008), with Leslie J. Lott, Esq.
- The Internet Age IP Audit, 53 The Practical Lawyer 29-48 (2007), with Leslie J. Lott, Esq.
- “Trademark Law Year in Review,” lecture and materials prepared for presentation at the Law Education Institute’s National CLE conference (January 6, 2006), with Leslie J. Lott, Esq.
- Comment, Why the Limited Liability Company Should Sound the Death Knell of the Application of the ‘Nexus of Contracts’ Theory to Corporations, 1. FIU L. Rev 185-238 (2006).
Recent Media Appearances

- Laura Romero, Teens turn to COVID-19 vaccine advocacy as most state laws prohibit minors from being vaccinated without consent (September 15, 2021)

- Robert Iafolla and Allie Reed, Antibodies Unlikely to Sway Court in Covid Jab Mandate Battle (August 5, 2021)
- Brandon Lee, HEALTH CARE BRIEFING: U.S. Asks to Lift Block of Vaccine Rule (November 9, 2021)

- Amanda Kaufman, A Supreme Court case that originated in Mass. could provide a legal precedent for President Biden’s vaccine mandates, experts say (September 10, 2021)

- Erin Snodgrass, A vaccine law expert explains the 3 most likely legal challenges Biden’s federal vaccine mandate might face (September 9, 2021)

- Brian Dean Abramson, Do US teens have the right to be vaccinated against their parents’ will? It depends on where they live (August 31, 2021)

- Eric Feldman, Students receive policy training to advance health equity during pandemic, political transition (November 19, 2020)
- David Drucker, Summer class explores vaccine law (July 12, 2021)

- Tyler Whetstone, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs says he will refuse to enforce President Biden’s mandate on vaccines (September 17, 2021)

- Arthur Allen, Federal vaccine court hasn’t helped those whose lives were altered by COVID-19 shots (August 17, 2021)

- Tom Hals, U.S. employers get religion with vaccine mandates (August 12, 2021)
- Tom Hals, U.S. COVID-19 vaccine approval is ‘seismic’ shift for legality of mandates, experts say (August 24, 2021)
- Dan Whitcomb, Fact Check-WHO does not have a rule that a child’s presence in school implies consent for vaccination (November 15, 2021)

- What Impact Will Biden’s Vaccine Mandate Have?: With Guest Brian Dean Abramson (September 13, 2021)

- Scott Gleeson, Is Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate a law? What happens to those who don’t get the shot? (September 10, 2021)
- Sudiksha Kochi, Fact check: Claim is missing context on WHO’s parental-consent guidelines for vaccinating children (November 29, 2021)

- Rob Garver, Backlash Against Biden’s Vaccine Mandate Mounts Within GOP (September 10, 2021)
- Rob Garver, World Leaders Struggle to Raise Vaccination Rates as COVID-19 Surges (November 26, 2021)

- Sarah Pulliam Bailey, Religious exemptions from coronavirus vaccines are expected to become a legal battleground (September 1, 2021)

- Brendan Morrow, Biden tells legal challengers to ‘have at it’ after announcing vaccine mandate (September 10, 2021)

- Leland Vittert, Biden Admin Vows to Defend Vaccine Mandate (November 8, 2021)

- Mariam Sobh, The History of Vaccine Laws and Mandates (September 9, 2021)

- Bill Martens, How Biden’s new COVID-19 vaccine requirements would work (November 8, 2021)