Syndromic vaccine safety surveillance: an alternative approach for vaccine safety signal detection

In Australia, adverse events following immunisation (AEFIs) monitoring utilises a combination of passive and active surveillance, but entirely relies on reported data (spontaneous or solicited) from healthcare providers and consumers. However, reliance upon reported data alone may lead to delaying the detection of potential AEFIs. My PhD thesis showed that AEFI monitoring could be further enhanced through weekly analyses of syndromic health data that potentially indicate healthcare consultations due to AEFIs, specifically using telephone helpline and general practice consultation data. Further, monitoring of specific emergency diagnoses may additionally aid AEFI surveillance.