Approving Authority on COVID-19 Vaccines Says Underreporting of Adverse Events a ‘Common Problem’

Approving Authority on COVID-19 Vaccines Says Underreporting of Adverse Events a ‘Common Problem’
Health Canada headquarters in Ottawa in a file photo. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
Noé Chartier
Updated:
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The senior Health Canada official who had final authority for the approval of the COVID-19 vaccines says the surveillance system to monitor its adverse events falls far short on providing an accurate picture of the situation.

“We do expect there to be a lot of underreporting,” said Dr. Celia Lourenco, acting associate assistant deputy minister with Health Canada, during a Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board hearing on July 13.