Some factors influencing underreporting of suspected vaccine side effects

Reporting suspected adverse reactions allows monitoring of vaccine safety and identification of new, rare or serious adverse reac- tions that may not have been observed during clinical trials. When an adverse reaction is suspected, health professionals have a le- gal obligation and patients have the opportunity to report it to the relevant bodies such as the Croatian Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices in order to contribute to a broader understanding of the potential risks and benefits of vaccines. Im- proving patient education, communication, trust and empowerment may be key to encouraging adverse event reporting and thus improving vaccine safety and consequently greater acceptance of vaccination.

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