Which system is specifically designed to collect reports of adverse events following vaccination in the United States?

• A. VAERS
• B. AERS
• C. NWSS
• D. Registries

Answer: (A)

VAERS, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, is the U.S. system specifically designed to collect reports of adverse events after vaccination. It operates as a national passive surveillance system co-managed by the CDC and FDA, receiving reports from healthcare providers, vaccine manufacturers, and the public to monitor vaccine safety and detect signals that may require further investigation. Remember that VAERS reports are unverified and do not prove causation; they signal potential safety issues for deeper study. Other systems described are not focused on vaccine-specific post-vaccination reporting—one is used for drugs, and registries are general data collections—so VAERS is the designated mechanism for this purpose.