Adverse events following HPV immunization in Australia: Establishment of a clinical network.
To formalise a collaborative national Adverse Events Following Immunisation Clinical Assessment Network (AEFI-CAN) following the expansion of the Australian Human Papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation program to boys in 2013.



AEFI-CAN linked state-based vaccine safety clinics and the Department of Health including the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Monthly teleconferences held to discuss HPV related cases. AEFI conditions of interest recorded in a centralised database.



Between 1stJanuary 2013 - 31stOctober 2014, 118 HPV AEFI were documented, 56% in males. The median age was 13 y (range 12-16 years). The majority of AEFI reports were after dose 1 (59%). 76 of 118 (64%) AEFI were seen in a vaccine safety clinic: 62% in Victoria, NSW (16%), South Australia (9%) and Western Australia (8%). Eight TeleHealth consultations were undertaken. AEFI were categorised as: rash 24% of reports (n = 28), urticaria/angioedema 23% (n = 27), anaphylaxis 3% (n = 4). Syncope was also reported (n = 12, 10%) and other neurological events (n = 22, 19%).



We demonstrated the advantages of a national network, providing a collaborative approach to AEFI review and management. The vaccine safety network has applicability to any vaccination program, and has potential to collaborate more broadly with regional pharmacovigilance partners such as New Zealand.
a Department of General Medicine , Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) , Melbourne , Australia.|b SAEFVIC, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI) , Melbourne , Australia.|c Department of Paediatrics , The University of Melbourne , Melbourne , Australia.
Nigel W
NW
Crawford
a Department of General Medicine , Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) , Melbourne , Australia.
Kate
K
Hodgson
d Discipline of Paediatrics, University of Adelaide , Adelaide , Australia.
Mike
M
Gold
b SAEFVIC, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI) , Melbourne , Australia.|e Monash Health & Monash University , Melbourne , Australia.
Jim
J
Buttery
f Westmead Children's Hospital , Sydney , Australia.
Nicholas
N
Wood
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult
D053918:Papillomavirus Vaccines
HPV; clinical network; safety; vaccine