Bill > S657

Introduced Session

This bill requires the establishment of a Children's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System in the Department of Health to receive and maintain reports of adverse events experienced by a child under 19 years of age, in the eight weeks following the administration of a vaccine. The bill requires that health care providers report any adverse event experienced by a child in the provider's care or to whom the health care provider administered a vaccine(s), regardless of whether the vaccine(s) is deemed, in the professional opinion of the health care provider, to be the cause of the adverse event. The reporting requirements would apply to a physician, physician assistant, advanced practice nurse, registered nurse, pharmacist, or other professional licensed pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes and authorized to administer vaccines, including those who provide care to a child in the emergency department of a hospital or an urgent care center in the State. The bill provides that the Commissioner of Health is to determine the form and manner of reports made to the system and that such reports include the name and address of the health care provider submitting the report, the name, age, and address of the child, the adverse event or events experienced by the child, the date of administration of the child's most recent vaccine, the vaccine or vaccines that were administered, any product inserts that were packaged with the vaccine, and any other pertinent information as may be required by the commissioner. The bill authorizes the commissioner to share the adverse event reports only with: (1) recognized public health entities that analyze data on vaccines and adverse events, except that the identity of any child or health care provider shall not be disclosed or made public; and, (2) with the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) operated by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the United States Food and Drug Administration, in the event that the healthcare provider was not required to report the particular adverse event to VAERS under the provisions of federal law. The bill would take effect on the first day of the sixth month next following enactment.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Bob Singer (R)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document