Adverse events after immunization in Canada during 2024 summarized in report

Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada are responsible for monitoring the safety of vaccines in Canada. Vaccine manufacturers are required to report serious adverse events following immunization to the Canada Vigilance Program of Health Canada. The Canada Vigilance Program also receives voluntary reports from healthcare professionals and consumers. In a recent summary report, the Canada Vigilance Program highlighted key statistics on adverse events following immunization in 2024. Reaction severity From January 1 to December 31, 2024, 900 reports of adverse events following immunization were received by the Canada Vigilance Program for vaccines marketed in Canada. Of these, 74% were classified as serious, 14% required hospitalization, 4% were life-threatening and 3% resulted in a death. (Note that the information provided in the reports was not sufficiently detailed to assess the causal association between death and the vaccine.) Reporter type Of the 900 reports of adverse events following immunization, 9% were submitted by physicians, 17% by pharmacists, 21% by other health professionals and 53% by consumers. Age group The 900 vaccine adverse events in 2024 were categorized by age group: 228 serious and 63 nonserious events were reported in elderly patients (≥ 65 years); 283 serious and 163 nonserious events in adults (19–64 years); 16 serious and three nonserious events in adolescents (12–18 years); six serious and two nonserious events in children (2–11 years); seven serious events in infants (28 days to 23 months); and 127 serious and two nonserious events in which the patient’s age was not reported. Type of vaccine Vaccines associated with adverse events following immunization were ranked in order of frequency of reports:COVID-19 (350 serious, 30 nonserious). The most frequently reported adverse events following immunization were occurrence of COVID-19 (138), ineffectiveness (101), interchange of vaccine products (46), fatigue (38), pain (36) and headache (36). Most of the events of COVID-19 occurrence were co-reported with vaccine ineffectiveness.Herpes zoster (130 serious, 135 nonserious). The most frequently reported adverse events following immunization were herpes zoster (81), vaccination failure (57), pyrexia (29), pain (24), malaise (22) and inappropriate schedule of product administration (22). Most of the events of herpes zoster occurrence were co-reported with vaccination failure.Influenza (42 serious, 11 nonserious). The most frequently reported adverse events following immunization were headache (23), fatigue (19), dizziness (17), dyspnea (17) and malaise (16).Respiratory syncytial virus (34 serious, 7 nonserious)Influenza/COVID-19 (37 serious, 2 nonserious)Pneumococcal (21 serious, 6 nonserious)Hepatitis A and B (3 serious, 10 nonserious)Tetanus, diphtheria (reduced), acellular pertussis (Tdap) (1 serious, 9 nonserious)Human papillomavirus (8 serious, 1 nonserious)Hepatitis B (2 serious, 5 nonserious).No new potential safety issues for vaccines were identified by an assessment of the reports received during 2024. Serious events reported in 2024 were already listed in the product monographs of the respective vaccines or considered unlikely to be related to vaccination due to the presence of underlying medical conditions and/or concomitant medications that could have contributed to the events.Reference:Government of Canada. Health Product InfoWatch: June 2025. Vaccine safety summary. (accessed July 3, 2025).

Adverse events after immunization in Canada during 2024 summarized in report

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