Evaluation of Adverse Reactions to Vaccines

The development and widespread use of vaccination over the past centuries has been the single most impactful intervention in public health, by effectively preventing morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases. Vaccination is generally well tolerated in the vast majority of the population, and the benefits of vaccination largely outweigh the risk of severe adverse events in the majority of patients. Vaccine hesitancy can be a significant concern and lead to infectious disease outbreaks. All health care providers play an important role in maintaining public confidence in vaccines because their attitude and knowledge is often critical in facilitating acceptance of a vaccine. The purpose of this review is to first, provide an understanding of the basic concepts that are relevant to vaccine pharmacovigilance, and secondly, to provide an overview and discuss management of both immune and nonimmune adverse events after vaccination.