Submitting Study Datasets for 
Vaccines to the Office of Vaccines 
Research and Review 
 
 
 
Guidance for Industry 
 
Technical Specifications Document 
 
This guidance is for immediate implementation. 
 
 
 
 
 
FDA is issuing this guidance for immediate implementation in accordance with 21 CFR 
10.115(g)(4)(i).  Submit one set of either electronic or written comments on this guidance at any 
time.  Submit electronic comments to https://www.regulations.gov.  Submit written comments to 
the Dockets Management Staff (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, 
Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.  You should identify all comments with docket number FDA-
2018-D-1216. 
 
Additional copies of this guidance are available from the Office of Communication, Outreach 
and Development (OCOD), 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 71, Rm. 3128, Silver Spring, 
MD 20993-0002, or by calling 1-800-835-4709 or 240-402-8010, or email ocod@fda.hhs.gov, or 
from the Internet at https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/guidance-compliance-
regulatory-information-biologics/biologics-guidances. 
 
For questions on the content of this guidance, contact OCOD at the phone numbers or email 
address listed above. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
Food and Drug Administration 
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research 
December 2019   
 
 
 
 
 
 
Submitting Study Datasets for 
Vaccines to the Office of Vaccines 
Research and Review 
 
 
 
Guidance for Industry 
 
Technical Specifications Document 
 
 
 
 
Revision History 
Date  Version  Summary of Revisions 
April 2018  1.0  Initial Version 
October 2019  2.0  Revised Language in Section 3.5 and 4.0  
Added Language in Section 2.0, 3.2, 3.3, 4.0 and 7.0 
Added Section 6.0 
December 2019  2.1  Correction to Revision History Summary, Changed Section 
7.9 to 7.0 
      Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
 
 
Table of Contents 
 
1.0  INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 
2.0  SUBMISSION OF DATA FOR VACCINE TRIALS ...................................................... 2 
3.0  SUBMISSION OF SAFETY DATA FOR VACCINE TRIALS ..................................... 2 
3.1  Reactogenicity Data ................................................................................................ 2 
3.2  Unsolicited Adverse Events (AEs) ......................................................................... 5 
3.3  Laboratory Safety Assessments ............................................................................. 5 
3.4  Medically Attended Adverse Events (MAAEs) .................................................... 5 
3.5  Deaths....................................................................................................................... 6 
4.0  SUBMISSION OF CLINICAL DISEASE ENDPOINT EFFICACY DATA FOR 
VACCINE TRIALS ............................................................................................................ 6 
5.0  SUBMISSION OF IMMUNOGENICITY DATA FOR VACCINE TRIALS ............... 7 
6.0  SUBMISSION OF COMCOMITANT MEDICATION DATA FOR VACCINE 
TRIALS............................................................................................. ... 7 
7.0  SUBMISSION OF DATA FOR MATERNAL IMMUNIZATION TRIALS ................ 7 
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  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
 
Submitting Study Datasets for Vaccines to the Office of Vaccines 
Research and Review 
Guidance for Industry 
 
 
Technical Specifications Document 
 
 
This guidance represents the current thinking of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA or 
Agency) on this topic.  It does not establish any rights for any person and is not binding on FDA 
or the public.  You can use an alternative approach if it satisfies the requirements of the 
applicable statutes and regulations.  To discuss an alternative approach, contact the FDA staff 
responsible for this guidance as listed on the title page. 
 
 
 
1.0  INTRODUCTION 
 
This technical specifications document provides you, sponsor/applicant detailed information and 
specifications for the content of datasets submitted to FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and 
Research (CBER) Office of Vaccines Research and Review (OVRR) and is designed to aid 
clinical and statistical reviewers in the review of vaccine applications, e.g., biologics license 
applications.  We, FDA, recommend submission of these datasets as part of the applicants data 
tabulation datasets.  The submission of standardized datasets facilitates review and analyses of 
the data and allows for pooling of data, when appropriate.  These specifications reflect current 
CBER OVRR thinking, are built to be consistent with the FDA Study Data Technical 
Conformance Guide1, and are generally consistent with the Therapeutic Area User Guide 
(TAUG) for Vaccines2. 
 
If there is a question regarding a specific submission or implementation of a particular data 
standard, the sponsor should contact the appropriate review division in OVRR for specific 
submission questions or the appropriate contact for data standards issues at cber-
edata@fda.hhs.gov.  For more general recommendations on the use and submission of 
standardized trial data, the sponsor should refer to the FDA Study Data Technical Conformance 
Guide. 
 
FDAs guidance documents, including this guidance, do not establish legally enforceable 
responsibilities.  Instead, guidance describes the FDAs current thinking on a topic and should be 
viewed only as recommendations unless specific regulatory or statutory requirements are cited.  
The use of the word should in FDAs guidance means that something is suggested or 
recommended but not required. 
                                                           
1 https://www.fda.gov/media/122913/download  
2 https://www.cdisc.org/standards/therapeutic-areas/vaccines  
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  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
 
2.0  SUBMISSION OF DATA FOR VACCINE TRIALS 
 
The domains to be utilized in all Study Data Tabulation Model (SDTM) datasets submitted to 
OVRR include:  Trial Summary (TS), Demographics (DM), Subject Visits (SV), Concomitant 
Medications (CM), Exposure (EX), Disposition (DS), Protocol Deviations (DV), and Medical 
History (MH).  If a physical exam is included in the protocol, the information should be included 
in the Physical Exam (PE) domain.  Similarly, if safety labs are included in the protocol, the 
information should be included in the Laboratory Test Results (LB) domain.  Usage of the 
Adverse Event (AE), Clinical Event (CE), Findings About (FA), Vital Signs (VS), and 
Microbiology Specimen (MB) domains will be detailed below. 
 
The DS domain should always include the Standardized Disposition Name (DECOD), Reported 
Term (TERM), Category (CAT), and Start Date/Time of Event (STDTC) variables.  If relevant 
(i.e., multiple doses administered over time), the DS domain should include the use of the Order 
of Element within Arm (TAETORD) timing variable.  The TAETORD timing variable should 
also be included in other domains when the vaccine is multi-dose. 
 
In addition, the domains and variables to be utilized for safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy 
(i.e., clinical disease endpoint) data are detailed below. 
 
 
3.0  SUBMISSION OF SAFETY DATA FOR VACCINE TRIALS 
 
Safety data submitted for vaccine clinical trials should include reactogenicity data (i.e., a set of 
prespecified AEs collected within a prespecified time frame, often referred to as solicited AEs or 
reactions), unsolicited AEs, medically attended adverse events (MAAEs), and death.  The 
sections below will detail the usage of domains and variables expected in submissions to OVRR. 
Any usage of domains and variables that differ from these recommendations will need to be 
agreed upon prior to submission of datasets. 
 
3.1  Reactogenicity Data 
 
Reactogenicity data should be represented primarily in the CE domain with the Findings 
About Clinical Event (FACE) domain and VS domain to provide the specific information 
for each event. A more detailed description of how reactogenicity data should be 
collected is described in the Vaccine TAUG2.  We prefer that the Vaccine TAUG flat 
model be utilized, i.e., that data for each day be included, even if a subject never 
experienced a particular event.  However, the nested model, which includes only a 
summary record for a particular event if a subject never experienced that event, may be 
necessary for large trials with significant amounts of data.  Sponsors should discuss which 
model is appropriate with their review team prior to beginning their clinical trial. 
 
In the flat model, the CE dataset should include a record for each event for each subject, 
with the Clinical Event Reported Term (CETERM) as the event name and the Clinical 
Event Occurrence (CEOCCUR) = Y or N.  CEOCCUR is null if the reactogenicity 
event was not measured on a particular day (i.e., data are missing) and none of the other 
assessment days for that subject are Y.  If an event occurred, the clinical event start 
day/date (CESTDY/CESTDTC) and end day/date (CEENDY/CEENDTC) of the 
reactogenicity event should be collected and included in the dataset.  If it is unknown 
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  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
 
when an event started and/or ended (e.g., because the diary card was not completed), the 
variable(s) CESTDTC and/or CEENDTC should be null, and a comment should be 
provided in the Comments (CO) domain.  The pattern of the event (i.e., continuous or 
intermittent) can be noted by using the Clinical Event Pattern of Events (CEPATT) 
variable, if collected.  In both cases, the daily records are represented in FACE.  All daily 
temperature measurements are represented in the VS domain.  Standard units should 
either be Celsius (oC) or Fahrenheit (oF), but not both within a dataset.  A dataset-level 
relationship in Related Records (RELREC) should be used to represent relationships 
between CE and FACE and between VS and assessments of fever in CE. 
 
The annotated Case Report Form (CRF) should include a check box to indicate whether 
the reactogenicity event did or did not occur, during the prespecified time frame.  A check 
box in the annotated CRF should also capture whether the reactogenicity event was 
collected every day, during the assessment interval for a subject.  If the Occurrence 
(OCCUR) variable is null, the Completion Status (--STAT) and Reason Not Done (--
REASND) variables in FACE and VS and CE (covering the assessment interval) should 
be utilized. 
 
Reactogenicity events should be indicated by using reactogenicity in the variable 
Clinical Event Category (CECAT).  It should be further subcategorized into 
administration site or systemic, using the variable Clinical Event Subcategory 
(CESCAT). 
 
If a reactogenicity event should happen to continue beyond the assessment interval, it 
should also be represented in the AE domain, with the CE domain record indicating that 
the event extended beyond the assessment interval, using the variables Clinical Event End 
Reference Time Point (CEENTPT) (e.g., Day 7) and Clinical Event End Relative to 
Reference Time Point (CEENRTPT) (Ongoing).  A check box in the CRF, indicating 
whether the reactogenicity event is ongoing after the assessment period, is recommended.  
The event should be categorized in the Adverse Event Category (AECAT) variable as 
reactogenicity.  The start day/date (--STDY/--STDTC) and the end day/date (--ENDY/-
-ENDTC) of the reactogenicity event should be identical in both the CE and AE domain; 
whereas the duration (--DUR) should report the time that the event occurred as part of the 
assessment interval and as part of the continuance separately (e.g., an event that lasted 6 
days in the assessment interval and 3 days beyond the assessment would be reported as 
Clinical Event Duration (CEDUR) = 6 days and Adverse Event Duration (AEDUR) = 3 
days).  We recommend one or more check boxes in the CRF, indicating the duration of 
the reactogenicity event in the assessment period and the duration of the reactogenicity 
event beyond the assessment period.  If a reactogenicity event rises to the level of a 
Serious AE (SAE) during the prespecified assessment interval, it should be reported in the 
AE domain, and the Serious Adverse Event (AESER) variable should be utilized, as well 
as the CESER variable.  The event should be categorized in the AECAT as 
reactogenicity.  The day and date that the reactogenicity event becomes serious should 
be reported in supplemental AE (suppae) domain Qualifier Variable Names (QNAM) = 
SAEDY and SAEDTC, Qualifier Variable Labels (QLABEL) = SAE day and 
SAE date, and Supplemental Qualifier Values (QVAL) = day/date that reactogenicity 
event became serious.  A dataset-level relationship in RELREC should be used for each 
case.  We prefer that, in both cases, FACE (and/or VS) be utilized to provide the day-to-
day data for the reactogenicity event from start to end. 
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  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
 
 
If a reactogenicity event is assessed by the investigator as unrelated to the vaccine, but 
instead related to another diagnosis (e.g., Viral Infection), the definitive diagnosis would 
be recorded in the AE domain with the day-to-day signs and symptoms reported in the 
Findings About Adverse Event (FAAE) domain.  However, the reactogenicity event(s)) 
(i.e., symptoms), would still be reported in the CE (and FACE/VS) if obtained from the 
diary because the event(s) are prespecified and occur during the solicited assessment 
period.  In this case CEREL (causality) can be reported as N as there is a plausible 
reason for the event that is not due to vaccine administration.  AEREL would also be 
reported as N.  The relationship between AE and CE in the subject should be 
established using RELREC. 
 
Please note it would be considered recall data, if you are reporting selected AE preferred 
terms (PT) from the CRF that are synonymous with solicited local 
administration/systemic reactogenicity events which occurred during the pre-specified 
reporting time period post-vaccination but were actually collected from the investigator in 
a follow-up visit.  If you intend to report data based on recall (and not obtained from the 
diary), please minimize potential bias by including a reconstructed data flag in 
supplemental CE (suppce) using QNAM = RECON, (QLABEL) = reconstructed data 
and (QVAL) Y in your dataset.  Reconstruction should be limited to investigators who 
are still blinded to treatment group in a randomized, controlled trial using a scripted query 
for parameters (but perhaps not grading severity) if applied during a specified time period 
post-vaccination.  A reconstructed data flag might support a comparison of results 
generated based on different types of data collection (e.g. diary card vs eCRF) as well as 
overall compiled safety data; and may be used to determine if randomization was 
preserved in reconstructed data to get a gross sense of whether the investigators were 
truly blinded as they queried subjects and whether all treatment groups had the expected 
representation in both the purest collection of the safety data (i.e., directly from the 
diary) and the reconstructed as well as whether there were differences between sites.  
Any plans to include reconstructed data in your submission should be discussed with the 
review team prior to submission. 
 
If an analgesic/antipyretic is used for prevention or treatment of pain and/or fever 
associated with vaccine administration, please report this in the CM domain using the 
appropriate variables to report the date and time in ISO 8601 format or other character 
format with reference time point.  The CMCAT (Concomitant Medication Category) 
should be used to differentiate Prevention versus Treatment.  Additionally, you 
should flag if analgesic/antipyretic administered (Y/N) using the variable CECONTRT 
(Clinical Event Concomitant or Additional Treatment Given). 
 
A telephone contact that is used to ensure diary reporting compliance and/or to ascertain if 
any unsolicited AEs have occurred is considered a subject visit.  Please report the study day 
of start of visit (SVSTDY), the visit number (VISITNUM) and the visit name (VISIT) as 
telephone contact 1 (or 2 or 3, etc.) for each subject.  
 
   
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  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
 
3.2  Unsolicited Adverse Events (AEs) 
 
Unsolicited AEs should be represented in the AE domain, regardless of whether they 
occurred during the prespecified assessment interval or after the prespecified assessment 
interval.  The clinical details of the AE should be represented in the FAAE domain and 
possibly in the VS, CM, Procedures (PR), Healthcare Encounter (HO), and Death Detail 
(DD) domains.  The following variables should be utilized in the AE domain:  --SEV 
(Severity) (or TOXGR (Standard Toxicity Grade)), --LLT (Lowest Level Term), --
LLTCD (Lowest Level Term Code), --HLT (High Level Term), --HLTCD (High Level 
Term Code), --HLGT (High Level Group Term), --HLGTCD (High Level Group Term 
Code), --SOC (Primary System Organ Class) and --SOCCD (Primary System Organ 
Class Code).  Additionally, you should report in the AETRTREF (Time Point Reference) 
variable the reference time point of Dose 1, 2, or 3 etc. and AEELTM (Planned Elapsed 
Time from Time Point Reference) variable to indicate the beginning of the event (in days, 
hours/minutes if necessary) from the last vaccination administered (referenced as dose 1, 
2, or 3 etc.). 
 
In the AE domain, there should be one record per AE per subject for each unique event. 
The AE record reported by the investigator is submitted as a summary record, collapsed 
to the highest level of severity, causality, seriousness, and final outcome.  The variables 
for study day/date should be utilized (AESTDY/AESTDTC and AEENDY/AEENDTC).  
The FAAE domain should be used to report the day-to-day information, concerning the 
AE.  The CM, PR, HO, and/or DD domains should be utilized if the corresponding 
variables in AE are marked as yes.  A dataset-level relationship in RELREC should be 
provided. 
 
3.3  Laboratory Safety Assessments 
 
Laboratory safety assessment of clinical chemistry, hematology, and urine should be 
included in the LB domain.  If the laboratory result for a particular assessment for a 
subject is outside the normal range, it should additionally be reported in the AE domain, 
with the highest level noted.  A dataset-level relationship in RELREC should be used. 
 
3.4  Medically Attended Adverse Events (MAAEs) 
 
MAAEs should be reported in the AE and HO domain, and if needed, additional data 
should be reported in the FAAE, VS, and/or DD domains. 
 
In certain circumstances, OVRR may request that a clinical trial protocol include 
collection of data relating to specific MAAEs, particularly autoimmune or auto- 
inflammatory diseases, among subjects in all treatment groups through 12 months or 
longer, following the last study vaccination.  Since the request for this information is 
based on a theoretical potential, CBER considers the occurrence of a vaccine-related 
potential immune-mediated medical conditions (PIMMC) to be unexpected.  
 
When a particular MAAE is noted as a new onset of a chronic disease (NOCD) or a 
PIMMC it should be reported in the AE domain and categorized in CAT with NOCD or 
PIMMC, respectively. 
 
5 
  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
 
If a chronic disease is exacerbated, following a vaccination, the MH domain should 
contain information on the disease, prior to the first day of vaccination, and the AE 
domain should contain information on the disease, following vaccination.  The CAT and 
Subcategory (-SCAT) variables should be populated in both domains with a 
categorization/subcategorization of the chronic disease, e.g., kidney failure would be 
categorized as renal medical history and subcategorized as renal failure.  A dataset- 
level relationship in RELREC should be used. 
 
3.5  Deaths 
 
When a death occurs, it should be reported in the AE domain with supplemental death 
detail information provided in the DD domain.  The DM domain should also indicate that 
a death has occurred, using the flag variable (DTHFL) and date/time of death variable 
(DTHDTC).   
 
 
4.0  SUBMISSION OF CLINICAL DISEASE ENDPOINT EFFICACY DATA FOR 
VACCINE TRIALS 
 
For clinical trials in which efficacy against clinical disease is an objective, efficacy data will 
primarily be reported in the CE domain with specific information provided in the MB domain, 
FACE domain, VS domain, and PE domain (if necessary). 
 
To differentiate an efficacy clinical event (i.e., case of the disease of interest) from other clinical 
events, the variable CECAT should be utilized, and efficacy should be stated.  Since efficacy is 
pre-specified, the variables CEOCCUR, Clinical Event Completion Status (CESTAT), and 
Clinical Event Reason Not Collected (CEREASND) should be included.  The CETERM for the 
efficacy clinical event should be indicative of the disease, e.g., for an influenza vaccine, 
influenza-like illness or ILI; or for a human papillomavirus vaccine, cervical intraepithelial 
neoplasia or CIN.  Test results from assays conducted to confirm the presence of the microbe of 
interest (e.g., polymerase chain reaction (PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), 
cell culture, etc.) should be reported in the MB domain.  If the disease of interest is confirmed 
(e.g., by the clinical investigator or by an adjudication committee, using the information from a 
clinical assessment and the results of confirmatory tests), it should be reported in CE variable 
CEDECOD (e.g., Influenza), and flagged in a supplemental DM domain with QNAM = 
CDECASE, (QLABEL) = clinical disease endpoint case flag, and (QVAL) = Y. 
 
If the disease of interest is not confirmed by either the clinical investigator or by an adjudication 
committee, the results should be flagged in a supplemental DM domain with QNAM = 
CDECASE, QLABEL = clinical endpoint case flag, and QVAL = N.  The manner in which 
the occurrence of a disease of interest is confirmed (e.g., by an adjudication committee or by the 
clinical investigator or by another mechanism) should be clearly delineated in the clinical 
protocol.  A check box in the CRF, indicating the status of the disease of interest, is 
recommended. 
 
If hospitalization occurs during the clinical trial because of occurrence of the disease of 
interest, the CE domain variable Clinical Event Requires or Prolongs Hospitalization 
(CESHOSP) should be marked with Y.  Additional data regarding the hospitalization and/or 
other healthcare encounter should be provided in the HO domain. 
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  Contains Nonbinding Recommendations 
 
 
If concomitant or additional treatment is prescribed to alleviate the severity of the disease of 
interest, the CE domain variable Clinical Event Concomitant or Additional Treatment Given 
(CECONTRT) should be utilized. 
 
Variables available in AE that are also available for use in CE consist of Serious (SER), 
Outcome of Event (OUT), Involves Cancer (SCAN), Congenital Anomaly or Birth Defect 
(SCONG), Persistent or Significant Disability/Incapacity (SDISAB), Is Life Threatening 
(SLIFE), Results in Death (SDTH), and Occurred with Overdose (SOD). 
 
 
5.0  SUBMISSION OF IMMUNOGENICITY DATA FOR VACCINE TRIALS 
 
Data related to the assessment of immunogenicity should be reported in the Immunogenicity 
Specimen (IS) domain.  The LB domain should not be used for immunogenicity data. 
 
 
6.0  SUBMISSION OF COMCOMITANT MEDICATION DATA FOR VACCINE 
TRIALS 
 
Previous immunizations should be reported in the CM domain.  You should include the variable 
CMPRESP along with the accompanying variables -OCCUR, -STAT and -REASND, if the 
particular immunization is prespecified. 
 
 
7.0  SUBMISSION OF DATA FOR MATERNAL IMMUNIZATION TRIALS 
 
The relationship between the mother and child should be represented in Relationship of Study 
Subjects (RELSUB).  To allow for the possibility that a mother is treated before the number of 
fetuses is known, fetuses are given a Unique Subject Identifier (USUBJID) value that appends an 
A or B to the mothers USUBJID. 
 
In the DM domain, the informed consent and vaccination administration date for the fetus are the 
same as for the mother.  The age of enrollment will be a negative number in weeks.  The birth 
date for the infant should be reported, using the variable Date/Time of Birth (BRTHDTC). 
 
Since the amount of vaccine that reaches the fetus is unknown, the Dose Description (DOSTXT) 
variable in EX is utilized, and Fetal Exposure should be noted instead of populating the 
variable Dose (DOSE). 
 
The reproductive findings (RP) domain should be used to report the maternal date of last 
menstrual period, and from this, the gestational age at exposure can be calculated and reported in 
RP. 
7