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Vaccine safety

A close up of a scientist wearing blue latex gloves.

Vaccine development, approval and safety monitoring

Before any vaccine is approved for use by Health Canada, it must go through in-depth testing to prove it is safe and that it works. Even after a vaccine is approved for use, its safety is continuously monitored. 

A white woman talking with a nurse after getting a vaccine.

Multiple vaccines and combination vaccines

It is safe for children to receive multiple vaccines during one visit. This helps protect them from serious diseases early in life when they are most at risk of becoming seriously ill.

A Brown woman wearing a mask with blue whales on it sitting with a band aid on her arm after receiving a vaccine.

Side effects

Vaccines are among the safest medical products available. Vaccine side effects are usually mild (like a sore arm or mild fever) and go away in a few days. Serious side effects are very rare.

A group of scientists in a lab, representing a mix of genders.

Vaccine ingredients

The ingredients in vaccines are important for keeping them safe and effective. Each ingredient is used only in very small amounts, and only necessary ingredients are included. The ingredients are tested during safety studies.

FAQ

How do we know vaccines are safe?
Only vaccines that are proven safe, effective, and of high quality are approved for use in Canada. 
 
Here are some important things to know about vaccine safety:
 
  • The vaccine approval process is more stringent than most drugs available in Canada.
  • It can take up to ten years or longer for a vaccine to be developed, tested, and approved by Health Canada. Occasionally, the process can be expedited (happen more quickly) if a vaccine is urgently needed (for example, during a pandemic). No safety steps are skipped in these cases, and the vaccine must meet all the same safety requirements. An example is COVID-19 vaccines. 
  • Health Canada only approves a vaccine if it is safe, works, meets manufacturing standards, and the benefits outweigh the risks.
  • Because vaccines are given to healthy people, including children, they are held to the highest safety standard—even higher than most drugs used for treatment. 
  • Like any medicine or supplement (including vitamins), vaccines can cause side effects. Usually vaccine side effects are minor, such as a sore arm or mild fever, and go away quickly. Many people who receive vaccines have no side effects at all. Serious side effects are very rare. 
  • A vaccine’s safety is continuously monitored following its approval. 
  • Canada has several advanced systems in place (at the local, provincial, and national levels) to carefully monitor the safety of vaccines and detect any safety concerns. 
  • In the rare event that a lot (batch) of vaccines result in an unexpected side effect, these systems can ensure that the rest is not used.

Learn about how vaccines are tested, approved, and monitored. 

Learn about vaccine side effects. 

 

 
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Is it safe for my child to get more than one vaccine at the same time?
Getting multiple vaccines at the same visit is safe and ensures your child is protected as quickly as possible during their early years of life when they are most at risk. Getting several vaccines at the same time also means fewer appointments and periods of pain and discomfort for your child, which may reduce your child’s risk of developing needle fears. 
 
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Are the ingredients in vaccines safe?
Vaccine ingredients have been carefully studied for a long time and are safe in the small amounts used. You may have heard or read that some vaccine ingredients are harmful, but this is true only at much higher amounts than those found in vaccines. Any substance, even water, can be harmful at a high dose. 
 
 
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