Alert level: yellow OPQ: Q-763 Session: 451 Suggested file name: Benefits_of_the_vaccine_outweigh_risks_a Tabled on: March 11, 2026 Agencies: Estimated questions: 9 Estimated responses: 5 Original filename: Q-763 - Benefits of the vaccine outweigh risks, Response from March 11, 2026-a .pdf External links / references: (none detected) Extracted PDF text preview: Q- 763 Que sti on W i t h re ga rd to He a l t h Ca na da , t he Publ i c He a l t h Age ncy of Ca na da a nd t he Na t i ona l Advi sor y Commi t t e e o n Immuni za t i on a nd t he i r st a t e me nt , “t he be ne t s of t he COVID-19 v a cci ne s out w e i gh t he ri sks”: (a ) w ha t a re t he be ne t s of t he COVID-19 va cci ne s, broke n dow n by (i ) be ne t , (i i ) suppor t i n g st udi e s or docume nt s a nd t he i r publ i she d da t e , (i i i ) st a r t a nd e nd da t e s of t he be ne t a na l y si s, (i v) na me a nd t i t l e of t hose w ho a na l y ze d t he be ne t ; (b) w ha t a re t he ri sks of t he COVID-19 va cci ne s, broke n dow n by (i ) ri sk, (i i ) suppor t i ng st udi e s or docume nt s a nd t he i r publ i she d da t e s, (i i i ) da t e on w hi ch t he ri sk w a s i de nt i e d, (i v) st a r t a nd e nd da t e s of t he ri sk a na l y si s, (v) na me a nd t i t l e of t hose w ho a na l y ze d t he ri sk; (c) w a s a ri sk a nd be ne t a na l y si s pe rforme d for e a ch COVID-19 va cci ne product ; (d) i f t he a nsw e r to (c) i s a rma t i ve , (i ) w ha t a re t he st a r t a nd e nd da t e s of e a ch a na l y si s, (i i ) w ha t a re t he di ffe re nce s be t w e e n t he product a na l y si s re sul t s; (e ) w a s a se pa ra t e ri sk a nd be ne t a na l y si s pe rforme d for (i ) va ri ous a ge group s, (i i ) ge nde rs, (i i i ) pre gna nt w ome n, (i v) t he i mm unocompromi se d, (v) Fi rst Na t i ons a nd Indi ge nous popul a t i ons; (f) i f t he a nsw e r to (e ) i s a rma t i ve , for e a ch group i n (e ), w ha t a re t he (i ) st a r t a nd e nd da t e s for e a ch a na l y si s pe rforme d, (i i ) na me a nd t i t l e of t hose w ho pe rforme d t he m; (g) w a s a ri sk a nd be ne t a na l y si s pe rforme d for Ca na di a ns w ho w e re pre vi ousl y i nfe ct e d w i t h COVID-19; a nd (h) i f t he a nsw e r to (g) i s a rma t i ve , for e a ch a na l y si s pe rforme d, w ha t (i ) w a s t he st a r t da t e , (i i ) w a s t he e nd da t e , (i i i ) w e re t he concl usi ons of t he a na l y si s? R e sponse Thi s re sponse w a s t a bl e d i n t he House of Commons on Ma rch 11, 2026, a s Se ssi ona l Pa pe r 8555-451-763. Or der /Addr ess of the House of Commons Q ue st i on numbe r Q -763 A sk e d by Ca t hay W a ga nt a l l (Y orkton—Me l vi l l e ) Da t e a sk e d Ja nua r y 22, 2026 T able d on Mar ch 11, 2026 Se ssional P ape r 8555- 451- 763 House of Commons Hea lth Ca na da Reply by: the Minister of Health Name of Signatory: Maggie Chi Reply Hea lth Ca na da (a) what ar e the bene ts of the COV ID- 19 vaccines, brok en down by (i) bene t, (ii) suppor ting studies or documents and th eir published date, (iii) star t and end dates of the bene t analy sis, ( iv) name and title of those who analy zed the bene t; (b) what ar e the r is k s of the COV ID- 19 vaccines, brok en down by (i) r isk , (ii) suppor ting studies or documents and their published dates, (iii) date on which the r isk was identi ed, (iv) star t and end dates of the r isk analy sis, (v) name and title of those who analy zed the r isk ; (c) was a r isk and bene t analy s is per f or med f or each COV ID- 19 vaccine product; (d) if the answer to (c) is a r mative, (i) what ar e the star t and end dates of each analy s is, (ii) what ar e the dif fer ences between the product analy sis r esults; ( e) was a separate r isk and bene t analy sis per f or med f or (i) var ious age groups, (ii) gender s, (iii) pr egnant women, (iv) the immunocompr omised, (v) Fir st Nations and Indigenous populations; (f ) if the answ er to (e) is a r mative, f or each group in (e), what ar e the (i) star t and end dates f or each analy sis per f or med, (ii) name and title of those who per f or med them; (g) was a r isk and bene t analy sis per f or med f or Canadians who wer e pr eviously infected with COV ID- 1 9; and (h) if the answer to (g) is a r mative, f or each analy sis per f o r med, what (i) was the star t date, (ii) was the end date, (iii) wer e t he conclusions of the analy sis? Pre se nt e d by Ke vin Lamour e ux Pa rl i a me nt a r y Se cre t a r y to t he L e a de r of t he G ove rnme nt i n t he House of Commons All vaccines made available for human use in Canada have undergone a rigorous scientific review process and are grounded in established regulatory standards. Information on these standards can be found at: Regulating vaccines for human use in Canada - Canada.ca. Canada’s vaccine safety surveillance system is a collaborative effort involving Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, provinces and territories, and manufacturers. Adverse events following immunization are collected and monitored through both the Canada Vigilance Program, managed by Health Canada, and the Canadian Adverse Events Following Immunization Surveillance System, managed by the Public Health Agency of Canada. Reports from both systems are monitored continuously and support ongoing safety oversight. Reported events do not necessarily imply a causal relationship with vaccination but are critical for detecting potential safety signals. In the case of COVID-19 vaccines, Health Canada conducted a comprehensive benefit-risk analysis based on a wide range of available evidence, including clinical trial results supporting authorized indications (including specific age groups), non‑clinical data, and the public health need at the time of review. The decision to issue a Notice of Compliance for vaccines was based on a positive benefit–risk profile. Following authorization, Health Canada publishes information summarizing the evidence reviewed and the rationale for its regulatory decisions. Product‑specific details are publicly available through the COVID‑19 vaccines and treatments portal, including Regulatory Decision Summaries, Summary Basis of Decision documents, and Product Monographs, which outline known benefits and risks, including adverse reactions. Benefit–risk assessments are ongoing throughout a vaccine’s lifecycle. Health Canada requires manufacturers to comply with terms and conditions related to quality, clinical evidence, labelling, and risk management, and to submit regular safety updates and reports of adverse events following immunization. Health Canada continually evaluates whether new information affects a vaccine’s benefit–risk profile. Health Canada also reviews emerging evidence from scientific literature and international regulators. Outcomes of post‑authorization safety reviews are summarized in the Post‑Authorization Activity Tables, which are updated regularly and made publicly available through the COVID‑19 vaccines and treatments portal, along with advisories and risk communications. Up‑to‑date information on authorized COVID‑19 vaccines, including known risks and side effects, is provided in the Canadian Product Monographs, updated as new safety information becomes available. The Product Monographs are available on Health Canada’s Drug and Health Products Portal. Health Canada continues to monitor COVID‑19 vaccines as part of its routine oversight of all health products. If a new safety concern is identified and confirmed, appropriate regulatory actions are taken, including communicating risks to Canadians and healthcare professionals or adjusting recommended use, as necessary. Public Hea lth Agency of Ca na da (a) what ar e the bene ts of the COV ID- 19 vaccines, brok en down by (i) bene t, (ii) suppor ting studies or documents and th eir published date, (iii) star t and end dates of the bene t analy sis, ( iv) name and title of those who analy zed the bene t; (b) what ar e the r is k s of the COV ID- 19 vaccines, brok en down by (i) r isk , (ii) suppor ting studies or documents and their published dates, (iii) date on wh