Before a vaccine

This page puts official guidance in one place: what you should be told before a vaccine, how consent works, and where to find the official leaflet for each vaccine on the schedules in this guide. It is a plain reference, not medical advice. For a health worry, speak to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Questions to ask before a vaccine

Official guidance says the person being vaccinated (or their parent) should be given the information they need to decide. In England, the Green Book says: Information should include details of the process, the benefits of immunisation, and the risks, including known side effects and what to do if they occur. Green Book ch. 2: Consent In the US, providers must give a Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) before each dose of the vaccines the law covers CDC: About VISs. A checklist built from those sources:

1. 1. Which vaccine is it, exactly? Ask for the brand name.

   More than one brand can protect against the same disease, and the schedules on this site name several. The MHRA says safety checks are done on a brand/product-specific basis and gives an example: there are more than ten different brands of influenza vaccines available in the UK each year MHRA Drug Safety Update (Nov 2012) Knowing the brand also lets you find its leaflet (see Official leaflets below).

2. 2. What is it for, and what are the benefits and the risks, including the risk of not having it?

   The Green Book tells professionals to share information about the benefits and risks of immunisation, including the risks of not proceeding with immunisation Green Book ch. 2 This guide shows the official figures side by side on Diseases, Benefit vs risk per vaccine and Deaths.

3. 3. What is in it? Ask for the leaflet.

   Ask for the patient information leaflet (UK) or the Vaccine Information Statement and package insert (US). Direct links are in Official leaflets below. The guide's own list of ingredients and why each is used is on Ingredients.

   US: the VIS is a document, produced by CDC, that informs vaccine recipients – or their parents or legal representatives – about the benefits and risks of a vaccine they are receiving CDC: About VISs CDC says Patients must still be offered a copy of the VIS to take away following the vaccination. The patient may decline.

4. 4. What are the known side effects, and what should I do if I have one?

   The MHRA says: Always read the patient information leaflet, or instructions supplied with your medicine or medical device. It lists the known side effects or problems and advises you on what to do. MHRA Yellow Card If you are worried about your health, the same page says: Speak to your doctor, pharmacist or to call NHS 111 if you are worried about your health. How to report a suspected side effect is on Report a reaction.

5. 5. Is there any reason this vaccine might not suit me or my child right now?

   The NHS asks parents to speak to their GP surgery if their child has a vaccination appointment but is ill with a temperature or has a bleeding disorder (such as haemophilia) or has had a fit (seizure) in the past without a high temperature NHS: booking your child's vaccination The same page lists things that do not stop a baby having their vaccinations, including they have a minor illness without a temperature – such as a cold and they have allergies, asthma, eczema or food intolerances.

   CDC defines a contraindication as A condition in a recipient that increases their risk for a serious adverse reaction. CDC glossary Tell the person vaccinating about any condition you think may apply.

6. 6. Which batch (UK) or lot (US) is it, and will it be written down?

   UK: the MHRA says when providing patients with details of the vaccine or biological medicine administered, it is good practice to give them details of the brand and batch number MHRA Drug Safety Update (Nov 2012) The Yellow Card guidance asks for it: if it is a vaccine, please quote brand and batch number MHRA Yellow Card

   US: providers must record the vaccine manufacturer and lot number of the vaccine used in the permanent record CDC: instructions for using VISs You can ask for a copy of that record.

7. 7. Do I have to decide today? Can I take time?

   The Green Book says people must be given sufficient time and support to understand that information and that Consent may be withdrawn at any time Green Book ch. 2 It also says information should be given ideally before the immunisation appointment.

   On missed vaccines, the NHS says: It's best to have vaccines on time, but you can still catch up on most vaccines if you miss them. NHS: booking your child's vaccination

8. 8. Who is giving it, and can they answer my questions?

   The Green Book says information should come from a professional who can answer any questions about it Green Book ch. 2 CDC says providers should Always offer the patient an opportunity to ask questions about the vaccine you are giving them. CDC: About VISs

9. 9. What should I do afterwards if something happens?

   Get medical help first. Then see Report a reaction for what to write down and how to report in the UK (Yellow Card) and the US (VAERS). Having the brand and batch or lot number to hand makes a report more useful.

This is a checklist of questions, not advice on what to decide. Official statements are quoted in the words of the source.

Your rights and consent

What the official sources say, side by side. The UK and US sections are separate because the rules differ.

UK: vaccines are not compulsory

• England (NHS): Vaccines are not mandatory in the UK and they cannot be given without your consent. NHS: booking your child's vaccination The same page continues: Without vaccination your child is at greater risk of getting these illnesses.
• Scotland (Scottish Government): Vaccinations are not compulsory and our aim is to ensure that people are able to make informed choices about whether or not to accept the offer of vaccinations. gov.scot: Vaccination

UK: how consent works

• Valid consent: For consent to immunisation to be valid, it must be given freely, voluntarily and without coercion by an appropriately informed person who has the mental capacity to consent to the administration of the vaccine in question. Green Book ch. 2
• Consent is ongoing: consent is a process rather than a one-off event. It may be withdrawn at any time.
• Writing is not required: there is no requirement for consent to immunisation to be in writing. The Green Book adds that The completion of a consent form is not a substitute for the provision of meaningful information sufficient to meet the individual's needs.
• The NHS defines it the same way: For consent to be valid, it must be voluntary and informed, and the person consenting must have the capacity to make the decision. NHS: consent to treatment

The Green Book is UK Health Security Agency guidance for England and says where Scotland differs. Wales and Northern Ireland have their own health services; check with them for local rules. Green Book chapter 2 was last updated on 27 October 2025.

US: school requirements and exemptions

• Federal consent paperwork: All vaccine providers, public or private, are required by the National Vaccine Childhood Injury Act (NCVIA – 42 U.S.C. § 300aa-26 ) to give the appropriate VIS to the patient (or parent or legal representative) prior to every dose of specific vaccines. CDC: About VISs
• School entry is set by each state. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) says: All 50 states and Washington D.C. have laws requiring certain vaccines for students to attend school. NCSL: state exemptions
• Medical exemptions: All states allow exemptions from school immunization requirements for children who are unable to receive vaccines for medical reasons.
• Non-medical exemptions: State laws vary with respect to non-medical exemptions, which may be based on religious or personal beliefs. NCSL reports that Twenty-nine states and Washington D.C. allow exemptions for individuals with religious objections to immunizations. and Four states do not allow any type of non-medical exemption.

The NCSL page has a map and a table with each state's rules and a link to the state law. Rules change; check the current state law or your state health department. NCSL: state exemptions table

As at 31 October 2026, from pages last updated or reviewed on the dates shown on each source. This section reports what the sources say. It is not legal advice.

Official leaflets, one link per vaccine

Each link below goes to an official page for the product. UK links go to the patient information leaflet on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). US links go to the FDA page for the vaccine, which lists its package insert (the full prescribing information). Every link was opened on 31 October 2026. The products are the ones named on the Schedules page. Your clinic may use a different brand: ask (question 1 above).

UK: patient information leaflets

Not listed: hepatitis B at birth and BCG, which the UK schedule gives only to selected babies. Their leaflets were not checked for this page. The leaflet for the same brand can be updated; the emc page always shows the current version.

US: FDA product pages with the package insert

CDC also publishes a plain-language Vaccine Information Statement for each routine vaccine: current VISs (CDC). Beyfortus and Enflonsia are not vaccines and have no FDA vaccine page, so their DailyMed labels are linked instead.

The US table lists products named on the guide's US schedule and common brands for each; it is not every licensed brand. The FDA list above covers all licensed vaccines.