Pharmacovigilance in Brazil: The Government Monitoring of Adverse Events Reported from COVID-19 Vaccine—A Narrative Review

Abstract

Background: Is pharmacovigilance at a moment of prominence for science, and in relation to governments’ responsibilities towards their nations, as the new coronavirus pandemic has surprised everyone in a negative and lethal way? Objective: Evaluate pharmacovigilance as a resource for controlling and understanding adverse events caused by vaccines in use. Methods: This is a narrative review of the literature. Scientific articles available in databases, government bulletins and similar bodies were used. The search was carried out using the descriptors: “Pharmacovigilance AND COVID-19 in Brazil”, “Vaccine Development AND COVID-19”, “Vaccination Hesitancy AND COVID-19”, “Public Health Surveillance AND COVID-19”. The period from May 2021 to June 2022 was covered. Results: The occurrence of some adverse events was observed, including cases of allergy, myocarditis and rheumatoid arthritis. It is important to highlight that these adverse events were identified as rare, occurring in a small percentage of the vaccinated population. Despite these adverse events, the benefits of vaccines proved to be essential for controlling the pandemic. Conclusions: The information presented highlights the importance of pharmacovigilance to continuously monitor and evaluate the safety of vaccines, identifying any potential adverse events early. This balance between risk and benefit emphasizes the need for a careful and informed approach when making decisions about vaccination policies, prioritizing public health and population safety.