The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a government-operated system responsible for monitoring vaccine safety, has come under scrutiny in an investigation by The BMJ.
Dr. Robert Sullivan's post-COVID-19 vaccine experience sheds light on the systemic issues within VAERS, revealing obstacles faced by individuals attempting to report adverse events. The joint operation of VAERS by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has raised concerns about the system's efficacy.
The investigation, including insights from VAERS researcher Albert Benavides, suggests intentional flaws in VAERS, alleging that it serves to protect pharmaceutical interests rather than ensure transparency. Reports indicate that legitimate entries are often not published or are deleted, limiting the availability of critical data. The 2007 review of VAERS by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) highlighted significant underreporting of vaccine-related injuries, further questioning the system's reliability.
Transparency issues within VAERS have been a focal point of criticism. The public, including healthcare professionals, can access only incomplete initial reports, omitting crucial details and updates. This lack of comprehensive information hampers accurate analysis and understanding of vaccine-related incidents, including deaths. The failure to acknowledge deaths linked to COVID-19 vaccines, despite purportedly reviewing thousands of reports, adds to the skepticism surrounding VAERS.
VAERS' limitations extend beyond inadequate follow-up, encompassing incomplete and inaccurate information. The system allows for the publication of reports with errors, such as typos and unknown data, compromising the integrity of the data collected. The distinction between the public-facing system and a private back-end system, as discovered by The BMJ, further complicates the transparency issue, with only initial reports being accessible to the public.
Physicians face obstacles in reporting adverse events, as they are only willing to discuss FDA-recognized vaccine-related issues. Without proper guidance, potential risks may go unreported, contributing to the incomplete and often inaccurate data within VAERS. The investigation emphasizes the need for reforms within VAERS, urging the CDC to address staffing inadequacies and enhance transparency.
The investigation concludes with a call for changes to the system, including a return to pre-2011 reporting practices, removal of arbitrary time limits, and a simplified process for submitting follow-up data. The hope is that these reforms would improve the accuracy and reliability of VAERS, fostering greater confidence in vaccine safety monitoring.
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