Vaccine safety
Safety is one of the most important factors in the development of a vaccine and is the priority of the clinical development process. Vaccines are not a "one size fits all" mechanism, which is why vaccine research, development, and use contain a wide array of checks for safety. Even after a vaccine has been licensed and is in use, monitoring continues in order to ensure that safety information reflects any new information gathered after the product has been licensed. These measures also capture critical information about vaccine efficacy and effectiveness. In addition, the issue of vaccine safety encompasses addressing the common concerns of parents, advocates, and other groups regarding their confidence in the impact of vaccines on children.
View resources on vaccine safety
Key resources
Vaccine Safety
A website that offers an overview of vaccine safety issues and addresses common concerns.
No Vaccine for the Scaremongers (2008)
An article that discusses anxieties over safety of vaccines and the damage these worries could have on immunization programs.
Featured PATH resources
The Road to Safe and Effective Vaccines (2012)
A fact sheet on
the development of new vaccines through clinical trials and their role in providing safe and effective vaccines.
Page last updated: November 2012.
