Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Safety in Pediatric Patients: An Evaluation of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System

Recent news reports have linked the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to serious adverse events (AEs) in children and adolescents. We used the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) database to extract postmarketing AEs reported in patients who received the vaccine. Since approval of the HPV vaccine in the US, 3174 AEs occurring in children and adolescents (aged 6-17 y) have been reported to the VAERS. Of these, 191 (6%) were deemed to be serious. Although these AEs are of significant concern, more research is required before they can be directly correlated with the vaccine.