We are aware that false claims are circulating based on misinterpretation of adverse event information published by the TGA and medicine regulators overseas. To improve transparency, the TGA makes adverse event reports publicly available 90 days after they are received in the Database of Adverse Event Notifications (DAEN). When interpreting this information, it is important to understand that many of these events may not be caused by the vaccine.
The TGA encourages reporting of adverse events even if people are uncertain or only suspicious that it is related to a vaccine or medicine. This supports our scientists and health professionals to use the data to look for new safety signals. Reporting of adverse events, such as the death of anyone who has received a vaccine, is mandatory for health professionals in some states. It is therefore important to remember that the number of adverse events and deaths is not an indicator of the safety of the vaccines. Detailed investigation and expert review of individual case reports and the data are required to assess whether there is a link between an event and the vaccine.
It is important when looking for information about COVID-19 vaccines to consider whether the source of the information is credible. Useful websites such as ‘COVID vaccines – is it true?(link is external)’ can address false claims and misleading rumours. Other reliable resources are listed at the end of this report.
https://www.tga.gov.au/periodic/covid-19-vaccine-weekly-safety-report-22-07-2021
