How much will I get from the Boostrix Big Bad Cough settlement?

You can receive $50 if you provide qualifying proof of your Boostrix vaccination during the class period, or $10 if you submit a claim with a sworn attestation of vaccination but no proof. You must file by June 8, 2026.

Who qualifies for the Boostrix settlement?

Adults who either lived in New York or were vaccinated with Boostrix in New York between May 20, 2016 and May 20, 2020, who got the vaccine to protect one or more other individuals from whooping cough after viewing GSK's Big Bad Cough advertising campaign featuring humanized wolves. Women who were vaccinated while pregnant are excluded.

Boostrix is a Tdap booster vaccine made by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) that protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). It is FDA-approved and widely administered to adolescents and adults. The lawsuit does not challenge the safety or effectiveness of Boostrix for protecting the person who receives the shot — only the advertising claims about preventing transmission to others.

What was the Big Bad Cough ad campaign?

The Big Bad Cough campaign was a multimedia advertising campaign run by GSK between 2015 and 2020 featuring humanized wolves to represent whooping cough. The lawsuit alleged the ads misled viewers into believing that getting a Boostrix vaccination would prevent them from spreading whooping cough to vulnerable people like babies and elderly family members. GSK denies the ads were misleading.

Do I need proof of vaccination to file a claim?

No. You can file a claim without proof of vaccination by submitting a sworn attestation, but you will receive $10 instead of $50. If you have vaccination records showing you received Boostrix during the class period, submit them with your claim to receive the higher $50 payment.

Boostrix "Big Bad Cough" Settlement — New Yorkers Who Got the Whooping Cough Vaccine to Protect Others Could Get $10–$50

By Steve Levine

Boostrix Big Bad Cough GSK Class Action Settlement 2026 Whooping Cough Vaccine New York

Published: March 16, 2026

Payment: $50 with proof of vaccination / $10 without proof

Claim Deadline: June 8, 2026

Location: New York residents or anyone vaccinated in New York

What Is This Settlement About?

If you live in New York — or if you received a whooping cough booster shot in New York between 2016 and 2020 — and you got that shot specifically to protect someone else in your life, like a baby, an elderly parent, or a family member with a weak immune system, this settlement could put $10 to $50 in your pocket.

Here is what happened. GlaxoSmithKline, commonly known as GSK, is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. GSK makes a vaccine called Boostrix. Boostrix is a Tdap booster shot — it protects against three diseases: tetanus (which causes severe muscle spasms), diphtheria (a serious bacterial infection), and pertussis (commonly called whooping cough, a highly contagious respiratory illness that can be deadly for infants and young children).

Boostrix is FDA-approved and is one of the most widely administered booster vaccines in the United States. Adults commonly receive it every 10 years, and it is routinely recommended for adults who will be around newborn babies. This lawsuit does not challenge the safety or effectiveness of Boostrix itself — the vaccine works as intended to protect the person who receives it.

The issue is about GSK's advertising. Between 2015 and 2020, GSK ran a national advertising campaign called "Big Bad Cough." You may remember the ads — they featured cartoon-style humanized wolves representing whooping cough, lurking around families and babies. The campaign encouraged adults to get vaccinated with Boostrix not just for their own protection, but specifically to prevent them from spreading whooping cough to vulnerable people around them.

The lawsuit alleged that the Big Bad Cough ads were misleading because they overstated Boostrix's ability to prevent the vaccinated person from transmitting pertussis to others. In other words, the ads suggested that if you got the Boostrix shot, you would not spread whooping cough to your baby or grandparent — but the plaintiff argued that the science did not fully support that specific claim about preventing transmission.

GSK vigorously denied the allegations and says the ads accurately reflected CDC guidance on pertussis vaccination at the time. The court did not decide who was right. The parties agreed to settle.

Do I Qualify?

You qualify if all of the following are true: you are an adult, you either lived in New York at the time of your vaccination or you were vaccinated with Boostrix in the state of New York, your vaccination occurred between May 20, 2016 and May 20, 2020, you got the Boostrix shot specifically to protect one or more other people from whooping cough (not just for your own protection), and you saw one or more of GSK's Big Bad Cough advertisements before getting vaccinated.

You do not qualify if you were vaccinated with Boostrix while pregnant. Pregnant women are specifically excluded from the settlement class.

How Much Money Will I Get?

There are two payment levels depending on whether you can provide proof of your vaccination:

If you have proof of vaccination — such as a vaccination record, pharmacy receipt, doctor's office record, or immunization registry printout showing you received Boostrix during the class period — you will receive $50.

If you do not have proof but you submit a claim form with a sworn attestation confirming that you were vaccinated with Boostrix during the class period, you will receive $10.

Either way, you must file a claim form by June 8, 2026.

How Do I File a Claim?

You can submit a claim form online at the settlement website. You can also download and print a paper claim form from the website or request one by calling the settlement hotline. If you mail a paper claim form, it must be postmarked by June 8, 2026.

If you are submitting proof of vaccination, include it with your claim form. The settlement administrator will review all claims and may request additional information.

What Are the Important Dates?

Claim Deadline: June 8, 2026
Opt-Out Deadline: May 11, 2026
Objection Deadline: May 11, 2026
Final Approval Hearing: July 2, 2026 at 10:00 AM, Courtroom 1040, Central Islip, NY
Class Period: May 20, 2016 – May 20, 2020

What Happens If I Do Nothing?

If you do nothing, you will not receive any payment. You will still be bound by the settlement and will give up your right to sue GSK separately over the same advertising claims. To get your $10 or $50 payment, you must file a claim by June 8, 2026.

Important Context About This Settlement

The court-authorized settlement notice includes several important clarifications: Boostrix has been and remains FDA-approved for immunization against pertussis, tetanus, and diphtheria. The plaintiff did not allege that she contracted pertussis or transmitted pertussis to anyone else. The plaintiff has not challenged the safety or efficacy of Boostrix for protecting the vaccine recipients themselves. The Big Bad Cough advertising campaign accurately portrayed the CDC's guidance for pertussis vaccination from the relevant time period, according to GSK.

In simple terms, this case is not about the vaccine being unsafe or ineffective — it is specifically about whether GSK's ads overpromised the vaccine's ability to stop you from spreading whooping cough to others.

Case Information

Caption: DeCostanzo v. GlaxoSmithKline plc et al., No. 2:21-cv-04869-NJC-AYS
Court: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
Plaintiff: Lori DeCostanzo
Defendants: GlaxoSmithKline plc (now GSK plc) and GlaxoSmithKline LLC
Payment: $50 with proof / $10 without proof
Class Counsel: Siri & Glimstad LLP (Aaron Siri, Elizabeth A. Brehm, Mason A. Barney, Michael P. Connett)
Attorney Fees: Up to $1,950,000
Service Award: $7,000 for plaintiff Lori DeCostanzo
Claim: Misleading advertising — Big Bad Cough campaign overstated Boostrix's ability to prevent whooping cough transmission

How Do I Find Class Action Settlements?

Find all the latest class actions you can qualify for by getting notified of new lawsuits as soon as they are open to claims:

Official Settlement Notice (PDF)

Settlement Website: BigBadCoughSettlement.com

File Your Claim — $10 or $50

Sources

• Official Settlement Website — BigBadCoughSettlement.com
• Court-authorized class notice, DeCostanzo v. GlaxoSmithKline plc et al., No. 2:21-cv-04869-NJC-AYS (E.D.N.Y.)

Filing Class Action Settlement Claims

Please note that your claim form will be rejected if you submit a settlement claim with any fraudulent information. By providing this information and your sworn statement of its veracity, you agree to do so under the penalty of perjury. If you are not sure whether you qualify, visit the class action administrator's website or call 1-833-978-4147. OpenClassActions.com is a consumer advocacy and class action news site, and is not a class action administrator or a law firm.

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Boostrix Big Bad Cough Settlement Summary
Status	Open — Accepting Claims
Claim Deadline	June 8, 2026
Payment	$50 with proof of vaccination / $10 without proof
Who Qualifies	NY residents or anyone vaccinated in NY with Boostrix (May 2016 – May 2020) to protect others, after seeing Big Bad Cough ads
Excluded	Women vaccinated while pregnant
Case	DeCostanzo v. GSK, No. 2:21-cv-04869 (E.D.N.Y.)
Hearing	July 2, 2026 at 10:00 AM (Central Islip, NY)
Class Counsel	Siri & Glimstad LLP
Website	Big Bad Cough Settlement