VACCINE

Vaccine • July 1999
An overview
of the vaccine adverse event reporting system
(VAERS)
as a surveillance system
VAERS Working Group
Author information
Singleton JA1, Lloyd JC, Mootrey GT, Salive ME, Chen RT.
Vaccine Safety and Development Activity
National Immunization Program
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
Abstract
We evaluated the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), the spontaneous
reporting system for vaccine-associated adverse events in the United States,
as a public health surveillance system, using evaluation guidelines from the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention. We found that VAERS is simple for reporters
to use, flexible by design and its data are available in a timely fashion. The
predictive value positive for one severe event is known to be high, but for most
events is unknown. The acceptability, sensitivity and representativeness of VAERS
are unknown. The study of vaccine safety is complicated by underreporting, erroneous
reporting, frequent multiple exposures and multiple outcomes.
“The acceptability, sensitivity
and representativeness of VAERS
are unknown. The study of vaccine
safety is complicated by underreporting,
erroneous reporting, frequent multiple
exposures and multiple outcomes.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=10438063