Vaccine safety

Health experts in Canada take vaccine safety very seriously.

Vaccine regulation

For vaccines to be approved in Canada, they have to meet Health Canada’s highest standards for production, safety, and effectiveness. Before being approved, the safety of each vaccine is verified.

Immunization and safe travel

Travel has made it a small world, especially when it comes to how fast diseases can spread around the globe. Immunization, without a doubt, ranks as the number one health care intervention in Canada today. It is safe, effective, repeatable, and reliable. It is important to note that if you are travelling outside of Canada, you may also need protection against diseases not commonly found in Canada. We recommend you speak with an immunization nurse or your health care provider to find out which immunizations are best suited for your travels.

Vaccine effectiveness

No vaccine is 100% effective, but all of the vaccines used for the routine immunization of children are very effective in preventing disease. In fact, the vaccines are so effective that most of the diseases they protect against are now very rare. Still, diseases can return if people stop getting immunized.

Side effects

Parents are often concerned about the side effects and safety of vaccines. The most common side effects are mild pain, fever, swelling, and redness where the needle was given. Some infant vaccines may cause a low fever (about 38^oC) or fussiness for a day or two after having the needle. Serious side effects are rare.

Getting to the point about immunization

There are myths going around about vaccines. One myth is that the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine causes autism. Research studies have proven that myth to be wrong. We encourage parents to get immunization information from reliable sources.

More information:

This item was last modified on June 18, 2015