CoronaVirus/Pfizer

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Vaccine makers have nothing to lose by marketing their experimental COVID-xix shots, fifty-fifty 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 total extent of their COVID-19 vaccine indemnification agreements with countries, even so, is a closely guarded secret, one that has remained highly confidential — until at present. A leaked document broken downward by Twitter user Ehden reveals the shocking terms of Pfizer's international COVID-19 vaccine agreements. He wrote:

"These agreements are confidential, only luckily one land did non protect the contract document well enough, and so I managed to go a hold of a re-create. As you are about to see, in that location is a good reason why Pfizer was fighting to hibernate the details of these contracts."

An ironclad agreement, all on Pfizer'south 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 bachelor on Treadreader, notwithstanding.

The Republic of albania agreement appears very like to another contract, published online, between Pfizer and the Dominican Republic. It covers not only COVID-19 vaccines, but any product that enhances the utilise or effects of such vaccines. Countries that purchase Pfizer's COVID-nineteen shot must admit that "Pfizer's efforts to develop and industry the Product" are "subject to pregnant risks and uncertainties."

And in the issue that a drug or other treatment comes out that tin prevent, treat or cure COVID-19, the agreement stands, and the land must follow through with their order. Ivermectin , for example, is not only safety, cheap and widely available but has been found to reduce COVID-19 mort ality by 81% . Yet, it continues to be ignored in favor of more expensive, and less constructive, treatments and mass experimental vaccination. Ehden wrote:

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

Fifty-fifty if Pfizer fails to deliver vaccine doses within their estimated commitment catamenia, the purchaser may non abolish the order. Further, Pfizer can make adjustments to the number of contracted doses and their delivery schedule, "based on principles to be determined by Pfizer," and the country buying the vaccines must "agree to whatsoever revision."

It doesn't matter if the vaccines are delivered severely tardily, even at a betoken when they're no longer needed, as it'due south made clear that

"Under no circumstances will Pfizer exist subject to or liable for whatever late delivery penalties." Equally you might doubtable, the contract as well "forbids returns under whatever circumstances."

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

While COVID-19 vaccines are "gratis" 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 $14.70 per shot. While charging unlike prices to dissimilar purchases is common in the drug manufacture, it's oft frowned upon.

In the example of the price disparity between the U.Southward. and the Eu, Pfizer is said to take given a toll break to the EU because it financially supported the development of their COVID-nineteen vaccine. However, Ehden noted, "U.South. taxpayers got screwed by Pfizer, probably also Israel." Also, Pfizer makes a point to note that countries have no correct to withhold payment to the company for any reason.

Apparently, this includes in the case of receiving damaged appurtenances. Purchasers of Pfizer'due south COVID-19 vaccines are non entitled to reject them "based on service complaints," unless they do non conform to specifications or the FDA's Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations. And, Ehden adds, "This agreement is above any local police force of the state."

While the purchaser has virtually no manner of canceling the contract, Pfizer can terminate the agreement in the event of a "fabric breach" of whatsoever term in their contract.

Safety and efficacy 'not currently known'

The purchaser of Pfizer'southward COVID-19 vaccine must besides admit 2 facts that have largely been brushed under the carpeting: Both their efficacy and risks are unknown. According to department five.five of the contract:

"Purchaser acknowledges that the Vaccine and materials related to the Vaccine, and their components and constituent materials are beingness quickly developed due to the emergency circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to be studied after provision of the Vaccine to Purchaser under this Agreement.

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

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

"Purchaser hereby agrees to indemnify, defend and agree 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 research ...
"from and against any and all suits, claims, deportment, 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 also proceed the terms of the contract confidential for a period of 10 years.

Not only does Pfizer have full indemnification, but at that place's also a section in the contract titled, "Assumption of Defense by Purchaser," which states that in the event Pfizer suffers losses for which it is seeking indemnification, the purchaser

"shall promptly assume behave and command of the defense force 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 certain the land volition pay for everything: 'Costs and expenses, including ... fees and disbursements of counsel, incurred by the Indemnitee(s) in connection 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.Due south. government — in a document titled, "Annunciation Under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Human action for Medical Countermeasures Against COVID-nineteen," is language that establishes a new COVID-19 vaccine court — similar to the federal vaccine court that already exists.

In the U.S., vaccine makers already relish full indemnity against injuries occurring from this or any other pandemic vaccine under the PREP Act. If yous're injured by a COVID vaccine (or a select group of other vaccines designated nether the act), you'd take to file a compensation claim with the Countermeasures Injury Bounty Program (CICP), which is funded by U.S. taxpayers via Congressional appropriation to the Section of Health 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. Equally reported by Dr. Meryl Nass, the maximum payout you can receive — even in cases of permanent disability or decease — is $250,000 per person; however, you'd have to exhaust your private insurance policy before the CICP gives you a dime.

The CICP also has a one-twelvemonth statute of limitations, so yous have to act quickly, which is also difficult since information technology's unknown if long-term effects could occur more than a year later.

Pfizer accused of abuse of power

As is apparent in Pfizer's confidential contract with Albania, the drug giant wants governments to guarantee the visitor will exist compensated for whatsoever expenses resulting from injury lawsuits confronting it. Pfizer has besides demanded that countries put up sovereign assets , including depository financial institution reserves, armed services bases and embassy buildings, as collateral for expected vaccine injury lawsuits resulting from its COVID-xix inoculation.

New Delhi-based World Is 1 News (WION) reported in Feb 2021 that Brazil rejected Pfizer's demands, calling them "abusive." The demands included that Brazil:

  1. "Waives sovereignty of its assets away in favor of Pfizer."
  2. Non employ its domestic laws to the company.
  3. Non penalize Pfizer for vaccine delivery delays.
  4. Exempt Pfizer from all civil liability for side furnishings.

STAT News also referred to concerns past legal experts, who also suggested Pfizer's demands were an corruption of power. Mark Eccleston-Turner, a lecturer in global wellness law at Keele University in England, told STAT:

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

Signs of COVID vaccine failure, adverse effects rising

Pfizer continues to sign lucrative clandestine vaccine deals across the world. In June 2021, they signed i of their biggest contracts to appointment — with the Philippine government for 40 1000000 doses .

Meanwhile, COVID-nineteen "breakthrough cases," which used to exist chosen vaccine failures, are on the rise. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease 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-19.

In the U.K., every bit of July 15, 87.five% of the adult population had received 1 dose of COVID-nineteen vaccine and 67.1% had received two. All the same, symptomatic cases among partially and fully vaccinated are on the ascension , with an average of 15,537 new infections a twenty-four hour period being detected, a forty% increase from the calendar week before.

In a July 19 study from the CDC, the agency as well reported that the Vaccine Adverse Consequence Reporting System (VAERS) had received 12,313 reports of decease among people who received a COVID-19 vaccine — more than doubling from the half-dozen,079 reports of death from the 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 week, raising serious questions almost transparency and vaccine safety.

Many other adverse events are also actualization, ranging in risks from the biologically agile SARS-CoV-2 spike poly peptide used in the vaccine to blood clots, reproductive toxicity and myocarditis ( heart inflammation ). As you lot can run across in the confidential indemnification agreements, nonetheless, fifty-fifty if the vaccine turns out to exist a dismal failure — and a take chances to brusk- and long-term health — countries have no recourse, nor does anyone who received the experimental shots.

One question that we should all be asking is this: If the COVID-19 vaccines are, in fact, as safe and constructive as the manufacturers claim, why do 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.