A public database that collects reports of vaccine side effects and injuries isn’t considered a reliable source of information about risks associated with COVID-19 vaccines. Established in 1990, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) collects reports of potential side effects from licensed vaccines. Interest in the database, publicly available online, has grown since COVID-19 vaccines were approved, but the data can be misleading if used to make a direct connection to the reported deaths and injuries. Dr. . Russell Bush, director and chief medical examiner at the Michigan Institute of Forensic Science & Medicine, said conclusions shouldn’t be drawn...