How to report a reaction

If you think a vaccine has caused a side effect, this page explains what to write down, how to report it in the UK (Yellow Card) and the US (VAERS), what a report can and cannot show, and where compensation schemes are covered. Reporting is separate from medical care and separate from making a compensation claim.

First: if someone is unwell

Get medical help first. The MHRA says: Speak to your doctor, pharmacist or to call NHS 111 if you are worried about your health. MHRA Yellow Card It also says We are unable to provide you with medical advice. For the US, the VAERS FAQ asks "Does VAERS provide medical advice?" and answers No. Please contact your doctor or healthcare professional VAERS: FAQs In an emergency, call your local emergency number (999 in the UK, 911 in the US).

What to write down

Both official reporting forms ask for much the same things. Gather them before you start, from the vaccination record card, the leaflet and your own notes. You can report with partial information: the Yellow Card guidance lists items that are helpful If known, and the VAERS form marks a few fields as essential.

What to write down, from the official forms
Write down	What the official guidance says
Vaccine: brand name and manufacturer	UK: if it is a vaccine, please quote brand and batch number US: Vaccine information (brand name, dosage)
Batch number (UK) or lot number (US)	The MHRA asks for the specific batch-number. It is on the vaccination record, if one was given. If you do not have it, ask the clinic or GP surgery that gave the vaccine.
Dates and times: when the vaccine was given and when symptoms started	US: Date, time, and location administered and Date and time when adverse event(s) started UK: dates of administration and when the reaction occurred
Dose, and how it was given	UK: route of administration, daily dose, dose frequency and schedule
Symptoms, how serious they were, treatment and outcome	UK: seriousness of the reaction, any treatment given, outcome of reaction US: Symptoms and outcome of the adverse event(s)
Tests and results	US: Medical tests and laboratory results (if applicable) UK: relevant test results
Other medicines, illnesses and allergies at the time	UK: other drugs taken in the last 3 months prior to the reaction, including over-the-counter (OTC) and herbal medicines and relevant medical history, including allergies
Who was vaccinated	US form: date of birth, sex and age at vaccination are marked essential. UK: patient sex and patient age at the time of the reaction
Who treated the person	US: Physician's contact information (if applicable)

Sources: MHRA: Yellow Card guidance MHRA Drug Safety Update (Nov 2012) VAERS: report an adverse event VAERS online form. Keep a copy of what you send.

UK: how to report to the Yellow Card scheme

Anyone can report an issue with a medicine, including vaccines. The Yellow Card scheme is run by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) MHRA Yellow Card

Online. Go to the Yellow Card website and find the vaccine you wish to report. yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk. You can report as a guest. The site says Users can still login to their Yellow Card scheme accounts using sms and authenticator app or submit reports as a guest user.
By app. The Yellow Card app lets you report suspected problem with a healthcare product Yellow Card app
By phone. For any patients who do not have online access to report a suspected side effect to the Yellow Card scheme, call 0800 731 6789 for free, Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. GOV.UK: Yellow Card guidance
By post or email. The guidance lists writing to FREEPOST YELLOW CARD (no other address details necessary) and emailing yellowcard@mhra.gov.uk, after downloading and printing a form from the GOV.UK page.
You do not need proof. You do not have to prove causality to report a suspected ADR, only a suspicion is needed.

The MHRA explains the terms it uses: A side effect is an unexpected effect that happens in addition to the main intended effect (of the vaccine). An adverse reaction is when the resulting effect causes harm (this can be both physical and mental). MHRA: vaccines and the Yellow Card

US: how to report to VAERS

Anyone can report an adverse event to VAERS. VAERS: report an adverse event VAERS is run by CDC and the FDA.

Choose how to report. VAERS has Two Ways to Submit an Online Report to VAERS: an online form, or a writable PDF form you complete offline and upload. vaers.hhs.gov/reportevent.html
Fill in the form. The online form has five sections: Patient Information, Reporter Information, Facility Information, Vaccine Information and Additional Information VAERS online form Fields marked as essential include date of birth, sex, date of vaccination, date the adverse event started and age at vaccination. the form will time out after 20 minutes of inactivity per page. Gather the details above first, or use the PDF form.
Keep your reference number. Each VAERS report is assigned a VAERS identification number. This number can be used to provide additional information about the report to VAERS, if necessary.
Need help? If you need further assistance with reporting to VAERS, please email vaersinfo@cdc.gov or call 1-800-822-7967.

Beyfortus (nirsevimab) is an RSV antibody, not a vaccine. VAERS says to report to VAERS if it was given at the same visit as a vaccination, and Report to MedWatch if it was given alone. VAERS: report an adverse event
Healthcare providers have extra duties: Healthcare providers are required by law to report to VAERS certain listed events. Reporting by patients and parents is voluntary: VAERS accepts reports from anyone. VAERS: FAQs
The VAERS form carries a warning: Knowingly filing a false VAERS report is a violation of Federal law (18 U.S. Code § 1001) punishable by fine and imprisonment.

What a report can and cannot show

Both systems collect reports of things that happen after a vaccine. A report is a signal to look into, not a finding of cause. The official wording:

VAERS: for any reported event, no cause-and-effect relationship has been established. The report of an adverse event to VAERS is not documentation that a vaccine caused the event. VAERS: guide to interpreting data
VAERS also says VAERS receives reports for only a small fraction of actual adverse events. and that more serious and unexpected medical events are probably more likely to be reported than minor ones. Both points are on the same page.
Yellow Card: You do not have to prove causality to report a suspected ADR, only a suspicion is needed. GOV.UK: Yellow Card guidance
CDC defines a temporal association as Two or more events that occur around the same time whether causally related or not, chance occurrences. CDC glossary

This guide shows the official report counts and their limits on Reported vaccine injuries over time.

If you want to claim compensation

Reporting to Yellow Card or VAERS is not a claim. Compensation schemes are separate, with their own rules and deadlines. This is a summary of the official pages; read them before relying on any detail.

Vaccine Damage Payment

If you’re severely disabled as a result of a vaccination against certain diseases, you could get a one-off tax-free payment of £120,000. GOV.UK: Vaccine Damage Payment
Vaccine Damage Payments are not a compensation scheme. You can still take legal action to claim compensation, even if you get a Vaccine Damage Payment.
Severity: ‘severe disablement’ means at least 60% disabled GOV.UK: eligibility
Age: You must normally have been vaccinated before your 18th birthday, with listed exceptions on the eligibility page.
Time limits: You can only claim for a child once they are 2 years old. For an adult, apply on or before their 21st birthday (or if they have died, the date they would have reached 21) or within 6 years of the vaccination, whichever is the latest. GOV.UK: how to claim
You do not need a legal representative, such as a solicitor, to apply for a Vaccine Damage Payment. Claims are made to NHS Business Services Authority: NHSBSA: Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme

VICP, and CICP for COVID-19

The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program is a no-fault alternative to the traditional legal system for resolving vaccine injury petitions. HRSA: VICP
An individual files a petition with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Because this is a legal process, most people hire a lawyer. HRSA: how to file
Severity: Lasted for more than six months after the vaccination; or Resulted in inpatient hospitalization and surgical intervention; or Resulted in death. HRSA: who can file
Deadlines: Injury: within three years after the first symptom or manifestation of onset or of the significant aggravation of the injury; Death: within two years of the death and within four years of the first symptom or manifestation of onset or of the significant aggravation of the injury from which the death resulted;
COVID-19: For claims associated with the COVID-19 vaccine or other COVID-19 related countermeasures, please file your Request for Benefits with the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program. The CICP page says You must file a Request for Benefits Package within one year of receiving or using the countermeasure that you believe caused the injury. HRSA: CICP

The guide's own pages cover these schemes: official VICP and Vaccine Damage Payment figures and manufacturers' legal record.

As at 31 October 2026: HRSA pages reviewed October 2026 (VICP) and May 2026 (CICP); GOV.UK Vaccine Damage Payment pages and Yellow Card pages as shown on the date opened. Rules, amounts and deadlines can change. This page is not legal or medical advice.