Freedom of Information request on all the reported side effects for all (combined) COVID-19 vaccinations (FOI 21/818)
Published 27 April 2022
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-of-information-responses-from-the-mhra-week-commencing-9-august-2021/freedom-of-information-request-on-all-the-reported-side-effects-for-all-combined-covid-19-vaccinations-foi-21818
9th August 2021 FOI 21/818
Dear
Thank you for your email dated 15th July 2021, where you asked: “I would like to see all the reported side effects for all (combined) covid-19 vaccinations. The iDAP says that this information cannot be produced by the system, but is available upon request. I would like to see the data in a similar sense to what drugs are displayed. Ie, age category of those reporting the adverse reactions. I am aware the government posts updates, however they don’t seem as transparent and clear as the data you produce for other drugs.”
The MHRA intends to publish all suspected reactions reported in association with available COVID-19 vaccines in an interactive format as interactive Drug Analysis Profiles (iDAPs), along with our ADR summary that is published each week. The use of iDAPs will enable users to view the data by categories of their choice such as age, sex and seriousness of reports. Users will also be able to download the data tables in CSV format.
As we plan to publish the data, we consider that your request is covered by Section 22 of the Freedom of Information Act (information intended for future publication) and the information you have asked for is therefore exempt from disclosure. Section 22 is a qualified exemption which means we have considered whether there is a greater public interest in releasing the information requested or withholding it. We recognise there is strong interest in seeing this data and accept it should not be withheld however wish to publish this information alongside appropriate context and assessment.
We will send you a link to the iDAPs once they are published. The MHRA publishes details of all suspected reactions reported in association with the COVID-19 vaccines, along with our assessment of the data on a weekly basis. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine-adverse-reactions
I hope the information provided is helpful, but if you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the date of this response; and can be addressed to this email address.
Yours sincerely, FOI Team Vigilance and Risk Management of Medicines Division