Prank VAERS report?

[Unauthorized_Cinnamon]

I recall hearing about a silly vaccine reaction someone reported in VAERS, as a demonstration that “vaccine reactions” reported there are not reliable. Someone submitted that a vaccine turned them into a newt or something.

Can anyone point me to a source on this? Thanks in advance.

[robert_columbia]

Did they get better?

[robert_columbia]

I found this:

http://antiantivax.flurf.net
http://antiantivax.flurf.net/#VAERS

@Todd W of AntiAntiVax

…An oft-quoted example of just how unreliable VAERS can be can be found from James R. Laidler, MD. Dr. Laidler submitted a report to VAERS that the influenza vaccine had turned him into The Hulk. The report was accepted and posted to the database. As Dr. Laidler reports, he was contacted by a representative because the AE was so unusual. They asked his permission to delete the report from the database, after discussing it with him, and he agreed. Had he not given his permission, the report would still be in the VAERS database…

[cerberus]

VAERS

Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System

Noisy, passive surveillance system, by design. VAERS reports incorporate follow-up, but the design itself severely limits the use of the data.