CoronaVirus/Pfizer

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Vaccine makers have zero to lose by marketing their experimental COVID-xix shots, even if they cause serious injury and death, as they enjoy 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.S. in 2005.

The full extent of their COVID-xix vaccine indemnification agreements with countries, all the same, is a closely guarded hole-and-corner, one that has remained highly confidential — until at present. A leaked document broken down by Twitter user Ehden reveals the shocking terms of Pfizer's international COVID-19 vaccine agreements. He wrote:

"These agreements are confidential, but luckily one country did not protect the contract document well enough, so I managed to get a hold of a re-create. Equally you are near to see, in that location is a good reason why Pfizer was fighting to hide the details of these contracts."

An ironclad agreement, all on Pfizer'southward terms

The alleged indemnification agreement, reportedly between Pfizer and Albania, was originally posted in snippets on Twitter, but Twitter now has them marked every bit "unavailable." Copies of the tweets are available on Treadreader, however.

The Albania agreement appears very similar to another contract, published online, betwixt Pfizer and the Dominican Republic. It covers not only COVID-19 vaccines, only any product that enhances the use or furnishings of such vaccines. Countries that purchase Pfizer's COVID-19 shot must acknowledge that "Pfizer's efforts to develop and manufacture the Product" are "subject to significant risks and uncertainties."

And in the consequence that a drug or other treatment comes out that can prevent, treat or cure COVID-19, the understanding stands, and the state must follow through with their society. Ivermectin , for case, is not but prophylactic, inexpensive and widely bachelor but has been institute to reduce COVID-xix mort ality by 81% . All the same, it continues to be ignored in favor of more expensive, and less constructive, treatments and mass experimental vaccination. Ehden wrote:

"If y'all were wondering why #Ivermectin was suppressed, well, information technology is because the agreement that countries had with Pfizer does non permit them to escape their contract, which states that even if a drug volition be found to treat COVID19 the contract cannot be voided."

Fifty-fifty if Pfizer fails to evangelize vaccine doses within their estimated commitment period, the purchaser may not cancel the order. Farther, Pfizer can brand adjustments to the number of contracted doses and their delivery schedule, "based on principles to be determined past Pfizer," and the country buying the vaccines must "concur to any revision."

It doesn't matter if the vaccines are delivered severely late, even at a point when they're no longer needed, as information technology's made clear that

"Under no circumstances will Pfizer be subject area to or liable for whatever late delivery penalties." Every bit yous might doubtable, the contract as well "forbids returns under any circumstances."

The large secret: Pfizer charged U.S. More than Than Other Countries

While COVID-nineteen vaccines are "free" to receive in the U.S., they're existence 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.seventy per shot. While charging dissimilar prices to different purchases is mutual in the drug manufacture, it's often frowned upon.

In the case of the price disparity between the U.Due south. and the European union, Pfizer is said to have given a price suspension to the EU considering it financially supported the development of their COVID-19 vaccine. Still, Ehden noted, "U.Due south. taxpayers got screwed by Pfizer, probably besides State of israel." Also, Pfizer makes a betoken to note that countries have no right to withhold payment to the company for any reason.

Plainly, this includes in the case of receiving damaged goods. Purchasers of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines are not entitled to pass up them "based on service complaints," unless they practise not conform to specifications or the FDA'due south Current Skilful Manufacturing Practice regulations. And, Ehden adds, "This agreement is above any local police of the state."

While the purchaser has well-nigh no style of canceling the contract, Pfizer can terminate the understanding in the event of a "textile breach" of any term in their contract.

Safety and efficacy 'not currently known'

The purchaser of Pfizer's COVID-xix vaccine must too acknowledge two facts that have largely been brushed under the rug: Both their efficacy and risks are unknown. According to section 5.5 of the contract:

"Purchaser acknowledges that the Vaccine and materials related to the Vaccine, and their components and constituent materials are beingness speedily developed due to the emergency circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and volition proceed to be studied subsequently provision of the Vaccine to Purchaser under this Understanding.

"Purchaser further acknowledges that the long-term effects and efficacy of the Vaccine are not currently known and that there may be agin effects of the Vaccine that are not currently known."

Indemnification past the purchaser is likewise explicitly required by the contract, which states, nether section eight.one:

"Purchaser hereby agrees to indemnify, defend and concord harmless Pfizer, BioNTech, each of their Affiliates, contractors, sub-contractors, licensors, licensees, sub-licensees, distributors, contract manufacturers, services providers, clinical trial researchers, 3rd parties to whom Pfizer or BioNTech or whatever of their respective Affiliates may directly or indirectly owe an indemnity based on the research ...
"from and against whatsoever 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 too keep the terms of the contract confidential for a period of 10 years.

Not only does Pfizer have full indemnification, simply in that location's as well a section in the contract titled, "Assumption of Defense past Purchaser," which states that in the result Pfizer suffers losses for which it is seeking indemnification, the purchaser

"shall promptly assume behave and command of the defence of such Indemnified Claims on behalf of the Indemnitee with counsel adequate to Indemnitee(s), whether or not the Indemnified Merits is rightfully brought."

Ehden notes:

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

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

In the U.S., vaccine makers already enjoy total indemnity against injuries occurring from this or whatever other pandemic vaccine under the PREP Act. If y'all're injured by a COVID vaccine (or a select group of other vaccines designated under the act), you'd have to file a compensation claim with the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Plan (CICP), which is funded by U.Southward. taxpayers via Congressional appropriation to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

While like to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Plan (NVICP), which applies to nonpandemic vaccines, the CICP is even less generous when it comes to compensation. Equally reported past Dr. Meryl Nass, the maximum payout you tin can receive — fifty-fifty in cases of permanent disability or death — is $250,000 per person; still, you'd have to frazzle your private insurance policy before the CICP gives you a dime.

The CICP also has a one-year statute of limitations, so you accept to human action quickly, which is also hard since it'southward unknown if long-term effects could occur more than a year subsequently.

Pfizer accused of abuse of ability

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

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

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

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

"[Pfizer] is trying to eke out as much turn a profit and minimize its risk at every juncture with this vaccine evolution then this vaccine rollout. Now, the vaccine development has been heavily subsidized already. So at that place'due south very minimal hazard for the manufacturer involved at that place."

Signs of COVID vaccine failure, agin effects rise

Pfizer continues to sign lucrative secret vaccine deals across the globe. In June 2021, they signed one of their biggest contracts to engagement — with the Philippine government for twoscore million doses .

Meanwhile, COVID-nineteen "quantum cases," which used to be called vaccine failures, are on the rise. According to the U.Due south. Centers for Affliction Control and Prevention (CDC), every bit of July 19, 5,914 people who had been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 were hospitalized or died from COVID-xix.

In the U.1000., as of July 15, 87.5% of the adult population had received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 67.1% had received two. Yet, symptomatic cases amid partially and fully vaccinated are on the ascent , with an average of 15,537 new infections a solar day being detected, a twoscore% increase from the calendar week before.

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

Soon later the written report, however, they reverted the number to the 6,079 from the week before, indicating past default that no deaths from the vaccine had occurred that calendar week, raising serious questions almost transparency and vaccine safe.

Many other agin events are also appearing, ranging in risks from the biologically agile SARS-CoV-2 fasten protein used in the vaccine to blood clots, reproductive toxicity and myocarditis ( centre inflammation ). As yous can run into in the confidential indemnification agreements, even so, even if the vaccine turns out to be a dismal failure — and a take a chance to short- and long-term health — countries have no recourse, nor does anyone who received the experimental shots.

Ane question that we should all be asking is this: If the COVID-19 vaccines are, in fact, as prophylactic and effective every bit the manufacturers claim, why practice they require this level of indemnification?

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Children'southward Health Defense.