Minimum Data Set and Metadata for Active Vaccine Safety Surveillance: Systematic Review

Active vaccine safety surveillance (AVSS) stands as a top priority for the World Health Organization (WHO), serving as a critical indicator of the fourth maturity level for national regulatory agencies.

This review aims to define the minimal data scope for association studies in vaccine safety, providing a reference framework for implementing AVSS systems worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

The study systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for cohort and case-control studies related to AVSS published between January 1, 2018, and September 7, 2022. Guided by the WHO and Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences guidelines (CIOMS), we developed a 4D framework for Minimum Data Sets (MDSs), including "Vaccine," "Outcome," "Demographic Data," and "Covariate." Variables with a frequency of at least 5% were included in the MDS.

Of the 123 included studies, 102 (82.9%) were cohort studies and 98 (79.7%) originated from high-income countries, covering populations across the entire life course. The MDS for COVID-19 vaccines identified 54 variables, while the MDS for maternal populations included 96 variables. WHO guidelines were found to align better with practical applications compared to CIOMS guidelines, though both require further optimization based on the MDS findings. However, metadata for these essential variables were inadequately described across the studies.

The proposed MDS provides clear guidance and concise requirements for AVSS data scope. Establishing a globally standardized MDS and comprehensive metadata based on these findings is essential to enhancing the global vaccine safety ecosystem.