Are vaccines tested to see if they cause cancer?

Have you read section 13.1 of a vaccine’s package inserts? They say the vaccines have not been tested to see if they can cause cancer, change DNA, or affect a man’s ability to have children. Does that mean that they do cause those things?

What Federal Vaccine Labels Say About Safety Testing

Federal rules say that drug and vaccine inserts (the papers that come inside the box for the vaccine) must include a section about three safety questions:

1. Can it cause cancer
2. Can it damage genes?
3. Can it affect fertility?

This section is called “Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility.” The insert must say if long-term animal studies were done. These studies look for possible risks, such as cancer or fertility problems. If the studies found anything important, the insert must explain it.

The rules also say that this section is only for animal study information. If there is safety information from humans, it belongs in a different part of the label, such as the “Warnings and Precautions” section.

All of this to say that vaccines and their ingredients are indeed reviewed for possible risks, including cancer, gene damage, and fertility problems.

Vaccines are also watched closely after they are used by the public. Several safety systems continuously monitor or check for possible problems. These systems help experts find safety concerns, including issues related to cancer, gene changes, or fertility.