Media & Journalist Resource Guide

Key Primary Data Sources

• VAERS Database

  Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System — search and download reports. Remember: correlation ≠ causation.

• CDC Vaccine Safety

  Official safety data and monitoring reports.

• FDA Biologics

  Vaccine approvals, labels, and regulatory documents.

• PubMed

  Peer-reviewed vaccine research literature.

Common Reporting Pitfalls

• • Confusing correlation with causation: Events reported to VAERS aren't proven to be caused by vaccines
• • Ignoring base rates: Some events would occur regardless of vaccination
• • Single study syndrome: One study rarely proves anything; look at the weight of evidence
• • Undefined terms: Always define technical terms for general audiences

Statistical Literacy Basics

• Efficacy vs. Effectiveness: Efficacy is controlled trial results; effectiveness is real-world performance
• Confidence Intervals: A range that likely contains the true value; wider = more uncertainty
• Relative vs. Absolute Risk: "50% reduction" could mean 50 in 100 or 1 in 2,000
• Statistical Significance: p < 0.05 means unlikely due to chance, not that the effect is large or important
• Number Needed to Vaccinate (NNV): How many people must be vaccinated to prevent one case

Expert Contacts

These organizations can provide expert commentary for your stories:

• • CDC Media Relations: [email protected]
• • FDA Media Relations: [email protected]
• • Infectious disease societies and academic medical centers
• • Immunization advocacy organizations (for context, not just quotes)