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All drugs, no matter how
well-researched, have some risks and side effects. Vaccines are no different. The
decision to administer any drug or vaccine can be thought of as a
risk-benefit decision. In other words, the decision balances the risk of getting
an infection and allowing the
disease to run its course with the benefit of preventing the infection.
For licensed vaccines, this risk-benefit assessment is clearly on the side that the benefits greatly exceed the risks, even allowing for
possible side effects and allergies.
Licensed vaccines undergo rigorous testing in laboratories and in clinical trials before licensure
is granted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Even after a vaccine is licensed, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) constantly monitor occurrences of adverse events through surveillance systems like the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) and Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD).
Learn how vaccines are developed and licensed
 
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