KEYWORDS:
vaccine adverse event, VAERS, web-based VAERS reporting

BACKGROUND:
The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is the only nationwide post-marketing vaccine safety surveillance system in the U.S. As a focal point for collection and analysis of reports of vaccine adverse events (VAE), it serves as a critical sentinel for vaccine safety issues. VAEs can be reported to VAERS via mail, facsimile, and a telephone system. Availability of the Internet and/or other technology for electronic reporting offers the potential for improving several features of VAERS.

OBJECTIVE(S):
Develop means to enhance VAE reporting to VAERS electronically

METHOD(S):
Staff from CDC and the contractor that administers VAERS have developed the web-based application. It enables the users to:
. Access the VAERS Form
. Input data,
. Print completed form for inclusion in medical record/mailing/faxing to VAERS, and/or
. Securely transmit the completed form to VAERS.
Personnel at VAERS site will:
. Collect/print/electronically input the report
. Process and populate the VAERS database, and
. Identify the on-line submitted data for research purposes

RESULT(S):
The web-based VAERS reporting application has recently become available on the Internet at https://secure.vaers.org for securely reporting VAEs to VAERS. The web site is being promoted for reporting VAEs among the members of the public, healthcare providers, military, immunization Registries/Systems, and other stakeholders. Characteristics of reports submitted during the first months of this new method of reporting will be presented, and compared to paper reports.

CONCLUSIONS(S):
VAERS program is committed to making all possible avenues, conventional and electronic, available for VAERS reporting. It is expected that this electronic information submission method will increase the accuracy, acceptability, timeliness, and sensitivity of the vaccine safety surveillance system.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
The audience will be able to understand the need for enhancing VAERS reporting, gather information for participation in VAERS reporting, and thus help with the enhancements in VAERS reporting.