# Prank VAERS report?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prank-vaers-report/602197>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 7, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prank-vaers-report/602197 "2011-11-07T19:58:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prank-vaers-report/602197/1 "2011-11-07T19:58:09Z")

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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.

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**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prank-vaers-report/602197/2 "2011-11-07T20:13:03Z")

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Did they get better?

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**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2011, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prank-vaers-report/602197/3 "2011-11-07T21:14:45Z")

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I found this:

> **[The Truth About The Evils Of Vaccination](https://antiantivax.flurf.net/)**
>
> The information below began as a blog comment at Bad Astronomy, in an effort to address the common myths and misinformation spouted by those who are against vaccines (anti-vaxers), though the information can also be useful for some general vaccine...

> **[The Truth About The Evils Of Vaccination](https://antiantivax.flurf.net/#VAERS)**
>
> The information below began as a blog comment at Bad Astronomy, in an effort to address the common myths and misinformation spouted by those who are against vaccines (anti-vaxers), though the information can also be useful for some general vaccine...

[QUOTE=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…  
[/QUOTE]

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**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2011, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prank-vaers-report/602197/4 "2011-11-09T08:19:02Z")

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[VAERS](http://vaers.hhs.gov/about/faqs)

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.