National Vaccine Information Center

THE PURPOSE OF NVIC IS TO PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF AMERICAN CHILDREN AND ADULTS THROUGH ITS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION-ORIENTED PROGRAMS TO PREVENT VACCINE INJURIES AND DEATHS AND TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS (BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS) WHO HAVE BEEN VACCINE INJURED. NVIC IS THE OLDEST AND LARGEST CONSUMER HEALTH ORGANIZATION IN AMERICA PROVIDING VACCINE AND DISEASE RISK INFORMATION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC; ADVOCATING SAFETY REFORMS IN THE MASS VACCINATION SYSTEM AND ENDORSING INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INTO VACCINE-ASSOCIATED DEATHS, INJURIES AND CHRONIC ILLNESS. NVIC PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAM IS MULTI-FACETED, INCLUDING: PUBLIC CONFERENCES, SYMPOSIUMS, WORKSHOPS; TELEVISION, RADIO AND PRINT MEDIA, AND PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS; THE PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF BOOKS, AUDIO AND VIDEO TAPES, NEWSLETTERS AND OTHER VISUAL AND PRINTED MATERIALS AND IT MAINTAINS AN INTERNET WEBSITE (HTTP://WWW.NVIC.ORG).

PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS CO-FOUNDERS OF THE NATIONAL VACCINE INFORMATION CENTER (NVIC) LAUNCHED THE VACCINE SAFETY AND INFORMED CONSENT MOVEMENT IN THE U.S. IN 1982. SINCE THEN, NVIC'S MISSION HAS BEEN TO PREVENT VACCINE INJURIES AND DEATHS THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION AND TO PROTECT THE ETHICAL PRINCIPLE OF INFORMED CONSENT TO MEDICAL RISK TAKING. NVIC WORKS TO SECURE VACCINE SAFETY AND INFORMED CONSENT PROTECTIONS IN US. PUBLIC HEALTH POLICIES AND LAWS, INCLUDING FLEXIBLE MEDICAL, CONSCIENTIOUS AND RELIGIOUS BELIEF VACCINE EXEMPTIONS. WEBSITES NVIC.ORG - THE INFORMATION THAT NVIC STAFF RESEARCHES, ANALYZES AND PUBLISHES IS PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE VIA ONLINE SEARCHES FOR VACCINE TOPICS POSTED ON NVIC'S FLAGSHIP WEBSITE, NVIC.ORG. THE WEBSITE WAS CREATED IN 1995 AND IS THE OLDEST AND LARGEST NON-GOVERNMENTAL, CONSUMER-OPERATED WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET DISSEMINATING INFORMATION ABOUT VACCINATION AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES WITH A FOCUS ON PREVENTING VACCINE INJURIES AND DEATHS. THIS EXTENSIVE LIBRARY OF WELL RESEARCHED AND REFERENCED INFORMATION ON VACCINE HISTORY, SCIENCE, POLICY, LAW AND ETHICS IS A UNIQUE PUBLIC INFORMATION RESOURCE COMPILED ON 1,900 WEB PAGES. DURING FYE 2022, NVIC COMPLETED AND RE-LAUNCHED AN EXTENSIVELY UPGRADED NVIC.ORG WEBSITE WITH AN IMPROVED DESIGN AND CONTENT MANAGEMENT AND SECURITY SYSTEM. THE NEW NVIC.ORG HOUSES NVIC'S 40 YEARS OF REFERENCED COMMENTARIES, SPECIAL REPORTS, ARTICLES, STATEMENTS AND PUBLIC COMMENTS, PODCASTS, LEGISLATIVE TESTIMONY AND VIDEOS THAT WERE ARCHIVED ON THE OLD WEBSITE. WEB PAGES WERE UPDATED AND NEW FEATURES ADDED TO MAKE CONTENT EASIER TO ACCESS BY VISITORS. A SPECIAL REPORT ON THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC, WHICH INCLUDES CONTEMPORARY REFERENCED ARTICLES AND VIDEOS PRODUCED BETWEEN 2020 AND 2022 THAT OFFER ORIGINAL ANALYSIS AND PERSPECTIVE ON THE SARS-COV-2 VIRUS AND THE COVID VACCINES, WAS EXPANDED. NEW INFORMATION ON OTHER VACCINES AND DISEASES WAS POSTED, ALONG WITH UPDATED INFORMATION ON DAYCARE AND SCHOOL VACCINE REQUIREMENTS AND EXEMPTIONS FOR ALL STATES. REFERENCED VIDEO COMMENTARIES AND ARTICLES WERE ALSO ADDED TO THE NVIC.ORG COMPENDIUM OF EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. THERE WERE OVER 1.5 MILLION PAGE VIEWS ON NVIC.ORG DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD. "NVICADVOCACY.ORG - THE WEB-BASED NVIC ADVOCACY PORTAL AND WEBSITE WAS CREATED AND LAUNCHED IN 2010 AND CONTAINS COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ON AND ANALYSIS OF VACCINE-RELATED LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN U.S. STATE LEGISLATURES THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR FREE AND EMAILED TO REGISTERED PORTAL USERS. A MAJOR UPDATE/UPGRADE OF THE NVIC ADVOCACY PORTAL WEBSITE WAS COMPLETED AND LAUNCHED IN JANUARY 2022 TO IMPROVE FUNCTIONALITY, SECURITY AND USER EXPERIENCE. DURING THE 2022 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THE NVIC ADVOCACY STAFF ANALYZED, TRACKED AND ISSUED POSITION STATEMENTS ON 875 VACCINE RELATED BILLS IN 44 STATES. THERE WERE 198,671 PAGE VIEWS OF THE NVIC ADVOCACY PORTAL FOR THIS REPORTING PERIOD. "THEVACCINEREACTION.ORG - THIS WEBSITE IS A WEEKLY JOURNAL NEWSPAPER ESTABLISHED IN DIGITAL FORM IN 2015 TO PROMOTE "AN ENLIGHTENED CONVERSATION ABOUT VACCINATION, HEALTH AND AUTONOMY-AND IS EMAILED FOR FREE TO SUBSCRIBERS. ORIGINALLY A PRINT PUBLICATION LAUNCHED BY NVIC IN 1995, THE DIGITAL VERSION OF THE VACCINE REACTION FOCUSES ON TOPICS RELATED TO VACCINATION, HEALTH, ETHICS, MEDICINE, LAW, MEDIA AND BUSINESS AND MAINTAINS A PUBLICLY SEARCHABLE ARTICLE ARCHIVE. DURING FYE 2022, OVER 200 REFERENCED ARTICLES IN 52 EDITIONS WERE PUBLISHED AND THE WEBSITE HOSTED 729,429 VISITORS. MEDALERTS.ORG - MEDALERTS.ORG IS A WEB-BASED PROGRAM ESTABLISHED IN 2003 THAT HAS BEEN SPONSORED BY NVIC SINCE 2006 TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH THE ABILITY TO SEARCH THE FEDERAL VACCINE ADVERSE EVENTS REPORTING SYSTEM (VAERS) DATABASE FOR INFORMATION ON VACCINE ADVERSE EVENT REPORTS MADE TO THE GOVERNMENT BY DOCTORS, VACCINE RECIPIENTS AND PARENTS OR GUARDIANS OF MINOR CHILDREN WHO RECEIVED VACCINES AND EXPERIENCED A DETERIORATION IN HEALTH. NVIC CO-FOUNDERS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INCLUSION OF VAERS IN THE 1986 NATIONAL CHILDHOOD VACCINE INJURY ACT, WHICH REQUIRES VACCINE PROVIDERS TO REPORT HOSPITALIZATIONS, INJURIES AND DEATHS FOLLOWING VACCINATION. THIS FISCAL YEAR, THE MEDALERTS SOFTWARE PLATFORM WAS UPGRADED AND SECURITY IMPROVED. MEDALERTS HOSTED OVER 10 MILLION VISITORS DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD. EVENTS DURING THE 12TH ANNUAL VACCINE AWARENESS WEEK (VAW) CO-SPONSORED WITH MERCOLA.COM AND HELD SEPT. 26 - OCT. 2, 2021, NVIC PUBLISHED A REFERENCED VIDEO COMMENTARY FORCED VACCINATION WAS ALWAYS THE END GAME, AS WELL AS THE 2021 ANNUAL REPORT ON U.S. STATE LEGISLATION BY NVIC'S ADVOCACY PORTAL STAFF. THE 2021 ANNUAL STATE LEGISLATION REPORT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A VIDEO PROVIDING AN OVERVIEW OF VACCINE RELATED LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY FOR THE 2022 LEGISLATIVE SESSION. PRINT AND DIGITAL PUBLICATIONS VACCINE INFORMATION BROCHURES WERE REVISED AND POSTED FOR DOWNLOADING FROM NVIC.ORG, AS WELL AS PUBLISHED IN PRINT FORM FOR MAILING AND DISTRIBUTION AT CONFERENCES AND SPECIAL EVENTS. THE GUIDE TO REFORMING VACCINE POLICY AND LAW, A 60-PAGE COLOR ILLUSTRATED PRINT PUBLICATION DESIGNED TO HELP EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND LAWMAKERS ABOUT SECURING INFORMED CONSENT PROTECTIONS IN PUBLIC HEALTH LAWS THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN 2014 AND REVISED IN 2017, WAS UPDATED DURING FYE2022 TO INCLUDE COVID-RELATED INFORMATION. THE GUIDE IS ANCHORED WITH MORE THAN 350 REFERENCES WITH LIVE LINKS POSTED ON NVIC.ORG. NVIC NEWSLETTER AND THE VACCINE REACTION JOURNAL NEWSPAPER THE DIGITAL NVIC NEWSLETTER AND THE VACCINE REACTION JOURNAL NEWSPAPER, ISSUED 60 EDITIONS CONTAINING LINKS TO OVER 200 REFERENCED ARTICLES AND COMMENTARIES PUBLISHED ON NVIC.ORG AND THEVACCINEREACTION.ORG DURING FYE 2022. SOCIAL MEDIA CENSORSHIP OF NVIC BY THE MAJOR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE, INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER RESULTED IN THE DELETION OF NVIC ACCOUNTS BETWEEN MARCH AND SEPTEMBER 2021 FOLLOWED BY A SUDDEN, UNEXPLAINED ACTION TAKEN BY PAY PAL IN DECEMBER 2021 TO BLOCK DONATIONS MADE TO NVIC THROUGH NETWORK FOR GOOD. NVIC QUICKLY PIVOTED TO A DONATION PLATFORM AND ALTERNATIVE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS THAT VALUE FREEDOM OF THOUGHT, SPEECH, AND CONSCIENCE AND OTHER CIVIL LIBERTIES. THESE NEW ACCOUNTS ARE GROWING IN FOLLOWERS. "RUMBLE - IN THE LATTER PORTION OF FYE 2021, NVIC'S EDUCATIONAL VIDEO LIBRARY OF OVER 300 VIDEOS BEGAN MIGRATION TO THE RUMBLE VIDEO PLATFORM AND THAT MIGRATION CONTINUED IN FYE2022. VIDEOS TRANSFERRED TO NVIC'S NEW RUMBLE CHANNELAPPEAR TO BE ATTRACTING A HIGHER VIEWERSHIP MORE QUICKLY THAN NVIC'S PREVIOUS YOU TUBE CHANNEL, WITH LIFETIME VIEWS OF NVIC VIDEOS ON RUMBLE ALREADY TOTALING OVER ONE MILLION VIEWS. "MEWE, GAB, TELEGRAM, MINDS, PARLER - ESTABLISHED IN 2019 AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO FACEBOOK, THERE WAS A SEVEN PERCENT INCREASE IN NVIC'S MEWE FOLLOWERS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, WHILE GAB IS THE MOST ACTIVE PLATFORM FOR NVIC FOLLOWER ENGAGEMENT. NVIC REACHES TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ON NEW SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, BUT THIS ONLINE REACH IS FAR LESS THAN WHAT IT WAS BEFORE THE CENSORSHIP CAMPAIGN BY MAJOR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS BEGAN IN 2020 TO SILENCE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT VACCINE POLICY AND LAW THAT DOES NOT CONFORM WITH NARRATIVES APPROVED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND CULMINATED WITH THE ELIMINATION OF NVIC'S FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, AND YOU TUBE ACCOUNTS IN 2021. "PODCASTS - NVIC'S PODCASTS ARE HOSTED ON SOUND CLOUD AND ITUNES DISTRIBUTED ON MAINSTREAM PODCAST PLATFORMS, AND AVAILABLE ON A VARIETY OF STREAMING PLARFORMS. THREE COMMENTARIES WERE ADDED TO NVIC'S LIBRARY OF 50 PODCASTS. DURING FYE 2022, THE PLAYING OF NVIC PODCASTS PLAYED BY THIRD PARTY APPS INCREASED BY 11 PERCENT. PRINT AND BROADCAST MEDIA NVIC IS AN INFORMATION RESOURCE FOR JOURNALISTS SEEKING AN INFORMED CONSUMER PERSPECTIVE ON VACCINE HISTORY, SCIENCE, POLICY, LAW & ETHICS. DURING FYE 2022, NVIC'S PRESIDENT PARTICIPATED IN 17 MEDIA PRINT OR BROADCAST INTERVIEWS OR PROVIDED COMMENTS TO THE MEDIA ON VACCINE-RELATED TOPICS. LINKS ARE POSTED ON NVIC.ORG. PUBLIC SPEECHES AND WORKSHOPS NVIC'S STAFF GAVE SPEECHES AND PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD AT CONFERENCES, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, WORKSHOPS AND WEBINARS THAT PROVIDED ATTENDEES WITH INFORMATION ON VACCINE SAFETY AND INFORMED CONSENT TOPICS.

VACCINE CHOICE ADVOCACY PROGRAM STATE ACTIVITIES THE WEB-BASED NVIC ADVOCACY PORTAL AND WEBSITE CREATED IN 2010 MAINTAINS ACCURATE, REAL TIME INFORMATION ON PROPOSED STATE AND FEDERAL VACCINE LEGISLATION; PROVIDES ANALYSIS, TALKING POINTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS; AND CONNECTS REGISTERED USERS ELECTRONICALLY WITH THEIR OWN LEGISLATORS TO HELP THEM ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE LAW MAKING PROCESS, A RIGHT GUARANTEED UNDER THE U.S. CONSTITUTION. PROPOSED VACCINE-RELATED STATE AND FEDERAL BILLS ARE DESIGNATED BY NVIC AS "BILLS TO WATCH" ON THE PORTAL IF THE BILLS ALIGN WITH NVIC'S MISSION OR OF THEY POSE A THREAT TO INFORMED, VOLUNTARY VACCINE DECISION MAKING. ACTIVE MONITORING OF PROPOSED VACCINE-RELATED BILLS ENSURES THE PUBLISHING OF ACCURATE BILL INFORMATION AND ACTION ALERTS. FOR THIS REPORTING PERIOD, NVIC SUPPORTED 475 VACCINE-RELATED BILLS AND OPPOSED 186 BILLS. 2022 MARKS THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR THAT NVIC SUPPORTED MORE VACCINE-RELATED BILLS THAN WERE OPPOSED. NO STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED BILLS WITH COVID-19 MANDATES OR PASSED BILLS MANDATING ANY OTHER VACCINE IN FYE2022 OR ELIMINATED VACCINE EXEMPTIONS. THE MAJORITY OF COVID-19 RELATED BILLS THAT PASSED IN STATE LEGISLATURES PROTECTED INFORMED CONSENT RIGHTS AND VACCINE EXEMPTIONS. CONSUMER ADVOCACY AND REPRESENTATION FEDERAL VACCINE ADVISORY COMMITTEES SINCE 1988, NVIC HAS PROVIDED CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVES TO SERVE ON FEDERAL VACCINE ADVISORY COMMITTEES AND FEDERAL AND STATE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROJECTS. NVIC STAFF MONITORS AND PROVIDES PUBLIC COMMENT AND REPORTS ON VACCINE DEVELOPMENT, REGULATION, POLICYMAKING AND PROMOTION ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, INCLUDING THE FDA VACCINES & RELATED BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE (VRBPAC); CDC ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON IMMUNIZATION PRACTICES (ACIP); NATIONAL VACCINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (NVAC); AND ADVISORY COMMISSION ON CHILDHOOD VACCINES (ACCV). "ADVISORY COMMISSION ON CHILDHOOD VACCINES (ACCV) - THIS FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS CREATED BY CONGRESS IN THE NATIONAL CHILDHOOD VACCINE INJURY ACT OF 1986 TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT ON THE OPERATION OF THE FEDERAL VACCINE INJURY COMPENSATION PROGRAM (VICP). DURING FYE 2022, NVIC MONITORED AND REPORTED ON THE MEETINGS OF THE ACCV. NVIC STAFF PROVIDED ORAL PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THE JUNE AND SEPTEMBER 2022 ACCV MEETINGS, WHICH ARE AVAILABLE ON NVIC.ORG. DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD, NVIC'S CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE NOMINEE ENDED HER FOUR-YEAR TERM ON NVAC. "CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON IMMUNIZATION PRACTICES (ACIP) - THIS FEDERAL VACCINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MAKES UNIVERSAL USE VACCINE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN THE U.S. DURING FYE 2022, NVIC STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS MONITORED AND REPORTED ON 16 ACIP MEETINGS, MOST OF WHICH WERE MEETINGS HELD TO DISCUSS AND VOTE ON RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO USE OF COVID-19 VACCINES. "NATIONAL VACCINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (NVAC) - THIS COMMITTEE WAS CREATED BY CONGRESS IN THE NATIONAL CHILDHOOD VACCINE INJURY ACT OF 1986 TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT ON THE US VACCINATION PROGRAM AND IS UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF HEALTH, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. DURING FYE 2022, NVIC STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS MONITORED AND REPORTED ON NVAC ACTIVITIES. "VACCINES & RELATED BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE (VRBPAC) - THE VRBPAC IS A FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) ON THE LICENSURE OR EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION OF VACCINES BASED ON REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF VACCINE SAFETY AND EFFICACY DATA BY VRBPAC MEMBERS. DURING FYE 2022, NVIC STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS MONITORED AND REPORTED ON VRBPAC MEETINGS, WHICH INCLUDED AMENDING THE EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION (EUA) OF MRNA COVID VACCINES AND ADDING COVID VACCINE TO RECOMMENDED CHILDHOOD VACCINE SCHEDULES.

COUNSELING AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICE SINCE 1982, STAFF HAS PROVIDED INFORMATION ABOUT VACCINATION AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CONTACTING NVIC, AS WELL AS OPERATED A VACCINE REACTION REGISTRY AND PROVIDED FREE ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING AND INFORMATIONAL SUPPORT FOR THOSE REPORTING VACCINE REACTIONS, INJURIES AND DEATHS UPON REQUEST. THIS YEAR, MANY OF THE INQUIRIES TO NVIC WERE MADE BY PHONE, EMAIL OR LETTER AND WERE ASKING FOR INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO: IDENTIFY A VACCINE REACTION; REPORT A VACCINE REACTION TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT; FILE FOR FEDERAL VACCINE INJURY COMPENSATION; FIND INFORMATION ABOUT STATE VACCINE LAWS; AND ASK DOCTORS QUESTIONS WHEN MAKING A VACCINE DECISION. DURING FYE 2022, NVIC'S COUNSELING PROGRAM RESPONDED TO NEARLY 7,000 EMAIL OR PHONE REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION ON VACCINES AND DISEASES AND FROM PEOPLE REPORTING VACCINE REACTIONS OR IN NEED OF ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT. THE MAJORITY OF VACCINE REACTION REPORTS WERE RELATED TO COVID-19 VACCINES.

LOBBYING AND RESEARCH