Media & Journalist Resource Guide
Practical reference for reporting on vaccine topics — primary data sources, common pitfalls, and statistical literacy.
Key Primary Data Sources
- VAERS Database
Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System — search and download reports. Remember: correlation ≠ causation.
- CDC Vaccine Safety
Official safety data and monitoring reports.
- FDA Biologics
Vaccine approvals, labels, and regulatory documents.
- PubMed
Peer-reviewed vaccine research literature.
Common Reporting Pitfalls
Don't Say This
"VAERS shows 1,000 deaths caused by the vaccine"
Do Say This
"VAERS received 1,000 death reports following vaccination; investigations found no causal link"
- • Confusing correlation with causation: Events reported to VAERS aren't proven to be caused by vaccines
- • Ignoring base rates: Some events would occur regardless of vaccination
- • Single study syndrome: One study rarely proves anything; look at the weight of evidence
- • Undefined terms: Always define technical terms for general audiences
Statistical Literacy Basics
- Efficacy vs. Effectiveness: Efficacy is controlled trial results; effectiveness is real-world performance
- Confidence Intervals: A range that likely contains the true value; wider = more uncertainty
- Relative vs. Absolute Risk: "50% reduction" could mean 50 in 100 or 1 in 2,000
- Statistical Significance: p < 0.05 means unlikely due to chance, not that the effect is large or important
- Number Needed to Vaccinate (NNV): How many people must be vaccinated to prevent one case
Expert Contacts
These organizations can provide expert commentary for your stories:
- • CDC Media Relations: media@cdc.gov
- • FDA Media Relations: media@fda.hhs.gov
- • Infectious disease societies and academic medical centers
- • Immunization advocacy organizations (for context, not just quotes)