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Reporting Adverse Events

Why Adverse Events Should Be Reported

The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is an early warning system that helps CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) monitor problems following vaccination. Because it is a passive surveillance system, VAERS relies on receiving reports from healthcare providers in the event that there are any health problems occur after vaccination.

 

What to Report

Healthcare providers are required by law to report:

Healthcare providers are encouraged to report:

  • Any adverse event that occurs after the administration of a vaccine licensed in the United States, whether or not it is clear that a vaccine caused the adverse event
  • Vaccine administration errors

 

Doctor entering information online.

How to Report an Adverse Event

There are three ways to submit a report to VAERS:

 

For More Information

Answers to common questions about VAERS can be found on the VAERS Frequently Asked Questions page.

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