FOIA Tracker

Vaccine-related Freedom of Information Act requests and releases.

Overview

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) allows the public to request access to records from U.S. federal agencies. In the context of vaccines, FOIA has been used to obtain internal communications, safety data, regulatory correspondence, and approval documents from agencies including the FDA, CDC, and HHS.

How to Submit a FOIA Request

  1. 1.Identify the agency holding the records you seek (FDA, CDC, HHS, HRSA, etc.)
  2. 2.Visit the agency's official FOIA portal (each agency has its own)
  3. 3.Describe the records requested as specifically as possible — include date ranges, document types, and subject matter
  4. 4.Submit via the agency's online portal, by mail, or by email
  5. 5.Track your request — agencies must acknowledge receipt and provide a tracking number
  6. 6.Response timelines vary; standard is 20 business days
  7. 7.If denied, file an administrative appeal, then pursue judicial review

Key Agency FOIA Portals

Notable FOIA Releases Related to Vaccines

  • FDA COVID-19 vaccine biologics license application documents — released in batches following litigation over release timeline
  • CDC V-safe data — released following litigation by ICAN
  • FDA VAERS internal analysis documents — released in response to multiple requests
  • HHS VICP settlement data — partial releases of internal compensation analysis

Sources & Links