In this story:

• Vaccination benefits outweigh risks
• Program created to save time and money
• Few reject federal judgments
• Related sites and stories

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Nearly $1 billion has been paid to more than 1,300 people injured over the past decade in a government-backed childhood vaccination program, the Justice Department reported Wednesday.

The individual awards to families of children injured by the vaccinations often amount to more than $1 million each.

Despite the cost, government officials say that instances of serious injury are "rare," and that a program that streamlines the method for seeking damages from the government is working.

The 10-year anniversary of the program prompted the disclosure of government costs for injury claims.

Millions of children are vaccinated annually to protect them against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), measles, mumps, rubella (German measles) and polio. Last year the program was expanded to include vaccination for hepatitis B, varicella (chicken pox) and influenza B.

More than 150 million doses of vaccine are given nationwide, which experts say save thousands of lives by preventing disease.

"The risk of experiencing any severe health problems related to immunization is much less than the risks posed by vaccine-preventable diseases, and we must continue to support a strong program of immunization for our children," said Dr. Claude Fox, an administrator for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program is designed to provide a less adversarial, less expensive and less time-consuming system of recovery than the traditional legal system that governs medical malpractice, personal injury and product liability cases.

Under the program, individuals who believe they have been injured by a vaccine may file a claim against HHS in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. If found eligible, they are paid for related future medical and rehabilitative expenses, and in some cases for pain, suffering and future lost earnings.

"This program has resolved favorably the claims of hundreds of families through a system that was created specifically to handle the uniqueness of vaccination-related injuries," said Assistant Attorney General Frank Hunger.

Hunger, who heads the Justice Department Civil Division, also announced that as a result of the program, lawsuits against drug manufacturers and health care professionals who administer vaccines have virtually ceased.

Hunger said few individuals have rejected the federal claims court judgments and filed lawsuits, although they are allowed to do so.

From CNN's Terry Frieden