Analyzing Emergent Vaccine Risk Theories Using VAERS and VSD: The Case of Hepatitis B Vaccine. G. Mootrey, R. C. Chen, and B. Hibbs, National Immunization Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Recent media attention focused public attention on possible health risks associated with the hepatitis B vaccine. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) and the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) are two national research systems the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention use to evaluate rare health risks that may not be picked up in pre-licensure vaccine trials. Health care providers are required to report adverse health events after vaccination to VAERS a passive surveillance system. The VSD is an active surveillance system that involves health maintenance organizations on the west coast and includes 6 million participants. This seminar will discuss the methodology of how these two systems are utilized to evaluate and research health risks associated with vaccines and answer public questions about possible risks associated with vaccines. A special focus on hepatitis B vaccine will illustrate how risk theories emerge in the media and what follow up is done to evaluate and research specific risks concerns.
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