Important: VAERS reports alone cannot determine if a vaccine caused an adverse event. Reports may contain incomplete, inaccurate, or unverified information. Correlation does not equal causation.
Geographic Patterns in VAERS
VAERS reporting varies dramatically by state. Population size is the dominant factor, but per-capita analysis reveals interesting patterns in reporting culture.
Population Drives Volume
The states with the most VAERS reports are, unsurprisingly, the most populous. California leads with 175,812 reports, followed by other large states. This is expected — more people means more vaccinations, which means more temporal associations with adverse events.
Per-Capita Tells a Different Story
When adjusting for population, the picture changes significantly. Alaska leads with 879 reports per 100,000 residents. Per-capita rates can be influenced by healthcare provider awareness of VAERS, state-level reporting mandates, and demographic factors like age distribution.
The Unknown Factor
A significant 16% of VAERS reports (307,638) have unknown or missing state information. This represents a major limitation in geographic analysis. Reports from healthcare providers may not always include patient state, and online submissions may omit location data.
Key Takeaways
- 1.Population size is the primary driver of state-level VAERS report volume
- 2.Per-capita analysis reveals variation in reporting culture across states
- 3.16% of reports lack state information, limiting geographic analysis
- 4.State-level differences reflect reporting behavior, not vaccine safety variation