To whom should vaccine-related adverse events be reported?

Vaccine-related adverse events should be reported to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) because the CDC is responsible for monitoring vaccine safety through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which is a partnership with the FDA. Reporting to the CDC helps ensure that any potential safety signals can be assessed and addressed appropriately, contributing to ongoing vaccine safety surveillance.

While the FDA also plays a role in evaluating and monitoring vaccine safety and could ultimately receive reports, the immediate reporting is often associated with the CDC's role in public health and vaccine epidemiology. The World Health Organization (WHO) is involved in global health initiatives but is not the primary entity for domestic reporting in the U.S., and state health departments may have their protocols for reporting but ultimately align with the federal system established by the CDC and FDA.