CoronaVirus/Pfizer

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Vaccine makers accept nothing to lose past marketing their experimental COVID-19 shots, even if they crusade serious injury and death, as they bask full indemnity against injuries occurring from COVID-19 vaccines or any other pandemic vaccine under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act, passed in the U.South. in 2005.

The total extent of their COVID-xix vaccine indemnification agreements with countries, however, is a closely guarded secret, one that has remained highly confidential — until at present. A leaked document broken down by Twitter user Ehden reveals the shocking terms of Pfizer'southward international COVID-nineteen vaccine agreements. He wrote:

"These agreements are confidential, but luckily ane country did not protect the contract document well enough, so I managed to get a concord of a copy. As you are about to see, there is a good reason why Pfizer was fighting to hibernate the details of these contracts."

An ironclad understanding, all on Pfizer's terms

The alleged indemnification agreement, reportedly between Pfizer and Albania, was originally posted in snippets on Twitter, but Twitter at present has them marked equally "unavailable." Copies of the tweets are available on Treadreader, all the same.

The Albania agreement appears very similar to another contract, published online, between Pfizer and the Dominican Republic. It covers non only COVID-19 vaccines, just any production that enhances the use or effects of such vaccines. Countries that purchase Pfizer's COVID-19 shot must acknowledge that "Pfizer's efforts to develop and manufacture the Production" are "subject to meaning risks and uncertainties."

And in the event that a drug or other handling comes out that tin preclude, treat or cure COVID-19, the agreement stands, and the state must follow through with their lodge. Ivermectin , for instance, is non merely safe, inexpensive and widely bachelor but has been establish to reduce COVID-nineteen mort ality by 81% . Notwithstanding, it continues to be ignored in favor of more than expensive, and less effective, treatments and mass experimental vaccination. Ehden wrote:

"If you lot were wondering why #Ivermectin was suppressed, well, it is because the agreement that countries had with Pfizer does not allow them to escape their contract, which states that fifty-fifty if a drug volition be found to treat COVID19 the contract cannot be voided."

Even if Pfizer fails to deliver vaccine doses inside their estimated delivery menstruum, the purchaser may not abolish the order. Farther, Pfizer can make adjustments to the number of contracted doses and their commitment schedule, "based on principles to be adamant by Pfizer," and the land ownership the vaccines must "concur to any revision."

It doesn't affair if the vaccines are delivered severely belatedly, even at a signal when they're no longer needed, as it'southward fabricated articulate that

"Under no circumstances will Pfizer be subject to or liable for whatsoever late delivery penalties." Every bit you might suspect, the contract also "forbids returns under any circumstances."

The big hole-and-corner: Pfizer charged U.S. More than Than Other Countries

While COVID-xix vaccines are "free" to receive in the U.S., they're being paid for by taxpayer dollars at a rate of $19.5011 per dose. Albania, the leaked contract revealed, paid $12 per dose, while the Eu paid $14.70 per shot. While charging different prices to different purchases is common in the drug industry, information technology'due south frequently frowned upon.

In the case of the cost disparity betwixt the U.South. and the EU, Pfizer is said to have given a toll break to the European union because it financially supported the development of their COVID-19 vaccine. Still, Ehden noted, "U.S. taxpayers got screwed past Pfizer, probably also State of israel." Too, Pfizer makes a indicate to annotation that countries have no right to withhold payment to the company for any reason.

Apparently, this includes in the example of receiving damaged appurtenances. Purchasers of Pfizer's COVID-xix vaccines are not entitled to pass up them "based on service complaints," unless they do not suit to specifications or the FDA's Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations. And, Ehden adds, "This agreement is in a higher place any local law of the state."

While the purchaser has most no way of canceling the contract, Pfizer can terminate the agreement in the event of a "material breach" of whatsoever term in their contract.

Prophylactic and efficacy 'not currently known'

The purchaser of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine must also acknowledge two facts that take largely been brushed nether the rug: Both their efficacy and risks are unknown. According to section v.5 of the contract:

"Purchaser acknowledges that the Vaccine and materials related to the Vaccine, and their components and constituent materials are being rapidly developed due to the emergency circumstances of the COVID-nineteen pandemic and will continue to be studied later on provision of the Vaccine to Purchaser under this Understanding.

"Purchaser further acknowledges that the long-term furnishings and efficacy of the Vaccine are not currently known and that at that place may be adverse effects of the Vaccine that are not currently known."

Indemnification past the purchaser is as well explicitly required by the contract, which states, nether section 8.ane:

"Purchaser hereby agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Pfizer, BioNTech, each of their Affiliates, contractors, sub-contractors, licensors, licensees, sub-licensees, distributors, contract manufacturers, services providers, clinical trial researchers, third parties to whom Pfizer or BioNTech or whatever of their respective Affiliates may directly or indirectly owe an indemnity based on the inquiry ...
"from and against whatever and all suits, claims, actions, demands, losses, damages, liabilities, settlements, penalties, fines, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees and other expenses of an investigation or litigation ... arising out of, relating to, or resulting from the Vaccine ..."

Meanwhile, the purchaser must as well keep the terms of the contract confidential for a flow of x years.

Non only does Pfizer have total indemnification, merely at that place's also a section in the contract titled, "Assumption of Defense by Purchaser," which states that in the outcome Pfizer suffers losses for which information technology is seeking indemnification, the purchaser

"shall promptly presume carry and control of the defense of such Indemnified Claims on behalf of the Indemnitee with counsel acceptable to Indemnitee(s), whether or not the Indemnified Claim is rightfully brought."

Ehden notes:

"Pfizer is making sure the country will pay for everything: 'Costs and expenses, including ... fees and disbursements of counsel, incurred by the Indemnitee(due south) in connection with any Indemnified Merits shall be reimbursed on a quarterly basis past Purchaser.'"

Buried in the March 17, 2020, Federal Register — the daily journal of the U.S. government — in a certificate titled, "Proclamation Under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act for Medical Countermeasures Against COVID-19," is language that establishes a new COVID-nineteen vaccine court — similar to the federal vaccine court that already exists.

In the U.S., vaccine makers already enjoy total indemnity confronting injuries occurring from this or any other pandemic vaccine under the PREP Act. If you lot're injured by a COVID vaccine (or a select group of other vaccines designated nether the act), yous'd have to file a compensation merits with the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP), which is funded by U.Due south. taxpayers via Congressional appropriation to the Section of Wellness and Human Services (DHHS).

While similar to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Programme (NVICP), which applies to nonpandemic vaccines, the CICP is even less generous when it comes to compensation. As reported past Dr. Meryl Nass, the maximum payout you lot can receive — even in cases of permanent disability or death — is $250,000 per person; nonetheless, you'd accept to exhaust your private insurance policy before the CICP gives you a dime.

The CICP also has a 1-year statute of limitations, so you have to act rapidly, which is also difficult since information technology'southward unknown if long-term furnishings could occur more than a year after.

Pfizer accused of abuse of ability

As is apparent in Pfizer'southward confidential contract with Albania, the drug giant wants governments to guarantee the company will be compensated for any expenses resulting from injury lawsuits confronting it. Pfizer has likewise demanded that countries put up sovereign assets , including bank reserves, military bases and embassy buildings, as collateral for expected vaccine injury lawsuits resulting from its COVID-19 inoculation.

New Delhi-based World Is One News (WION) reported in Feb 2021 that Brazil rejected Pfizer's demands, calling them "calumniating." The demands included that Brazil:

  1. "Waives sovereignty of its assets abroad in favor of Pfizer."
  2. Not utilise its domestic laws to the company.
  3. Not penalize Pfizer for vaccine delivery delays.
  4. Exempt Pfizer from all civil liability for side effects.

STAT News likewise referred to concerns past legal experts, who likewise suggested Pfizer'south demands were an abuse of ability. Marker Eccleston-Turner, a lecturer in global health police at Keele University in England, told STAT:

"[Pfizer] is trying to eke out as much profit and minimize its risk at every juncture with this vaccine development then this vaccine rollout. Now, the vaccine development has been heavily subsidized already. So in that location's very minimal take chances for the manufacturer involved at that place."

Signs of COVID vaccine failure, adverse furnishings rise

Pfizer continues to sign lucrative secret vaccine deals across the globe. In June 2021, they signed one of their biggest contracts to date — with the Philippine authorities for 40 one thousand thousand doses .

Meanwhile, COVID-xix "breakthrough cases," which used to be called vaccine failures, are on the ascension. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Command and Prevention (CDC), equally of July 19, 5,914 people who had been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 were hospitalized or died from COVID-19.

In the U.K., equally of July xv, 87.5% of the adult population had received ane dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 67.1% had received two. Nonetheless, symptomatic cases among partially and fully vaccinated are on the ascension , with an boilerplate of 15,537 new infections a day being detected, a 40% increase from the week before.

In a July 19 report from the CDC, the agency also reported that the Vaccine Agin Event Reporting System (VAERS) had received 12,313 reports of death among people who received a COVID-19 vaccine — more than doubling from the six,079 reports of decease from the calendar week before.

Soon after the report, however, they reverted the number to the 6,079 from the week before, indicating by default that no deaths from the vaccine had occurred that calendar week, raising serious questions about transparency and vaccine safety.

Many other adverse events are also actualization, ranging in risks from the biologically agile SARS-CoV-2 fasten poly peptide used in the vaccine to claret clots, reproductive toxicity and myocarditis ( heart inflammation ). Equally y'all can see in the confidential indemnification agreements, however, even if the vaccine turns out to exist a dismal failure — and a risk to curt- and long-term health — countries accept no recourse, nor does anyone who received the experimental shots.

Ane question that we should all be asking is this: If the COVID-xix vaccines are, in fact, as rubber and effective as the manufacturers claim, why do they require this level of indemnification?

The views and opinions expressed in this commodity are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Children's Health Defence.