Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety
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Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf · Aug 2004
A potential signal of Bell's palsy after parenteral inactivated influenza vaccines: reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)--United States, 1991-2001.
Post-licensure experience with a new intranasal inactivated influenza vaccine in Switzerland recently identified an increased risk for Bell's palsy. We reviewed reports in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) to assess if parenteral inactivated influenza vaccines (influenza vaccines) may also increase the risk for Bell's palsy. ⋯ Our findings revealed a signal of possible association between influenza vaccines and an increased risk of Bell's palsy. A population-based controlled study is needed to determine whether this association could be causal and to quantify the risk.