VAERS is a passive reporting system, meaning it relies on individuals to send in reports of their experiences. Anyone can submit a report to VAERS, including parents and patients.
Healthcare providers are required by law to report to VAERS:
Healthcare providers are strongly encouraged to report to VAERS:
Vaccine manufacturers are required to report to VAERS all adverse events that come to their attention.
Online reporting is strongly encouraged. Please report clinically important adverse events that occur after vaccination of adults and children, even if you are not sure whether the vaccine caused the adverse event.
The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) accepts all reports, including reports of vaccination errors. Guidance on reporting vaccination errors is available if you have additional questions.
Knowingly filing a false VAERS report is a violation of Federal law (18 U.S. Code § 1001) punishable by fine and imprisonment.
If you need further assistance with reporting to VAERS, please email info@VAERS.org or call 1-800-822-7967.
What will I need to fill out the report?
Information identifying the person who received the vaccine and the person who filed the report is not made available to the public. You or your health care provider may be contacted for further information after your report is received.
Information supplied in the online submission form is transmitted securely to VAERS. Visit the VAERS Privacy Policies and Disclaimers section for more information about Secure Sockets Layer and data transmission.
VAERS is co-sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), agencies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
VAERS is primarily concerned with monitoring adverse health events and we encourage reporting of clinically significant adverse health events following vaccination. Using clinical judgment, healthcare professionals can decide whether or not to report a medical error at their own discretion. For example, a healthcare professional may elect to report vaccination errors that do not have an associated adverse health event, especially if they think the vaccination error may pose a safety risk (e.g., administering a live vaccine to an immunocompromised patient) or that the error would be preventable with public health action or education.
Healthcare professionals are encouraged to report any clinically significant adverse event following vaccination to VAERS, even if they are not sure if vaccination caused the event.
Healthcare providers are required to report the following adverse events after COVID-19 vaccination, and other adverse events if later revised by CDC, to VAERS:
Also report any additional select adverse events and/or any revised safety reporting requirements per FDA’s conditions of authorized use of vaccine(s) throughout the duration of any COVID-19 Vaccine being authorized under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).