CoronaVirus/Pfizer

© Shutterstock, screenshot/Pfizer/KJN

Vaccine makers have nothing to lose by marketing their experimental COVID-19 shots, even if they cause serious injury and death, equally they enjoy full indemnity against injuries occurring from COVID-19 vaccines or any other pandemic vaccine under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Deed, passed in the U.Due south. in 2005.

The full extent of their COVID-19 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's international COVID-19 vaccine agreements. He wrote:

"These agreements are confidential, but luckily one country did not protect the contract document well enough, and so I managed to get a hold of a copy. Equally y'all are about to see, at that place is a skilful reason why Pfizer was fighting to hide the details of these contracts."

An ironclad understanding, all on Pfizer's terms

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

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

And in the event that a drug or other handling comes out that can forestall, treat or cure COVID-nineteen, the agreement stands, and the state must follow through with their club. Ivermectin , for instance, is not just safe, inexpensive and widely available but has been constitute to reduce COVID-xix mort ality by 81% . Yet, information technology 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 even if a drug will exist constitute to treat COVID19 the contract cannot be voided."

Even if Pfizer fails to evangelize vaccine doses within their estimated delivery period, the purchaser may not cancel the order. Further, Pfizer can make adjustments to the number of contracted doses and their delivery schedule, "based on principles to exist adamant by Pfizer," and the country buying the vaccines must "concord to whatever revision."

It doesn't affair if the vaccines are delivered severely tardily, even at a point when they're no longer needed, as it's made clear that

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

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

While COVID-19 vaccines are "free" to receive in the U.Southward., they're being paid for past taxpayer dollars at a rate of $19.5011 per dose. Albania, the leaked contract revealed, paid $12 per dose, while the Eu paid $fourteen.70 per shot. While charging different prices to different purchases is mutual in the drug industry, information technology's often frowned upon.

In the instance of the cost disparity between the U.S. and the Eu, Pfizer is said to accept given a cost suspension to the Eu considering information technology financially supported the evolution of their COVID-19 vaccine. Still, Ehden noted, "U.Southward. taxpayers got screwed by Pfizer, probably also State of israel." Also, Pfizer makes a point to note that countries take no correct to withhold payment to the company for any reason.

Manifestly, this includes in the case of receiving damaged appurtenances. Purchasers of Pfizer'due south COVID-19 vaccines are non entitled to turn down them "based on service complaints," unless they do not conform to specifications or the FDA's Current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations. And, Ehden adds, "This agreement is above any local law of the state."

While the purchaser has nigh no way of canceling the contract, Pfizer tin terminate the understanding in the event of a "cloth alienation" of any term in their contract.

Safety and efficacy 'not currently known'

The purchaser of Pfizer'south COVID-19 vaccine must too admit 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 rapidly developed due to the emergency circumstances of the COVID-nineteen pandemic and volition keep to be studied afterward provision of the Vaccine to Purchaser under this Agreement.

"Purchaser farther acknowledges that the long-term effects and efficacy of the Vaccine are non currently known and that there may exist adverse furnishings of the Vaccine that are non currently known."

Indemnification past the purchaser is also explicitly required past the contract, which states, under section viii.1:

"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 any of their respective Affiliates may directly or indirectly owe an indemnity based on the research ...
"from and against any 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 also keep the terms of the contract confidential for a flow of ten years.

Non only does Pfizer take total indemnification, but in that location's also a section in the contract titled, "Assumption of Defence force by Purchaser," which states that in the event Pfizer suffers losses for which it is seeking indemnification, the purchaser

"shall promptly presume conduct and control of the defense of such Indemnified Claims on behalf of the Indemnitee with counsel acceptable to Indemnitee(s), whether or non 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 past 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.S. government — in a certificate titled, "Declaration Under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act for Medical Countermeasures Confronting COVID-xix," is language that establishes a new COVID-19 vaccine courtroom — similar to the federal vaccine court that already exists.

In the U.S., vaccine makers already savour full indemnity against injuries occurring from this or any other pandemic vaccine under the PREP Human action. If yous're injured past a COVID vaccine (or a select group of other vaccines designated under the act), you'd take to file a bounty merits with the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Plan (CICP), which is funded by U.S. taxpayers via Congressional appropriation to the Department of Health and Man Services (DHHS).

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

The CICP also has a 1-year statute of limitations, then you have to act quickly, which is also difficult since it'south unknown if long-term effects could occur more than than a yr later.

Pfizer defendant of abuse of power

As is apparent in Pfizer's confidential contract with Albania, the drug giant wants governments to guarantee the visitor will be compensated for any expenses resulting from injury lawsuits against it. Pfizer has also demanded that countries put upwards sovereign assets , including banking company reserves, military bases and embassy buildings, every bit collateral for expected vaccine injury lawsuits resulting from its COVID-19 inoculation.

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

  1. "Waives sovereignty of its avails abroad in favor of Pfizer."
  2. Non apply 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 as well referred to concerns past legal experts, who besides suggested Pfizer'southward demands were an abuse of ability. Marker Eccleston-Turner, a lecturer in global health constabulary at Keele University in England, told STAT:

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

Signs of COVID vaccine failure, adverse effects rising

Pfizer continues to sign lucrative hole-and-corner vaccine deals across the globe. In June 2021, they signed one of their biggest contracts to appointment — with the Philippine government for xl million doses .

Meanwhile, COVID-nineteen "breakthrough cases," which used to exist called vaccine failures, are on the rise. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as 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., as of July fifteen, 87.5% of the adult population had received i dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 67.1% had received two. Withal, symptomatic cases among partially and fully vaccinated are on the rise , with an average of xv,537 new infections a day being detected, a twoscore% increase from the week before.

In a July nineteen study from the CDC, the agency as well 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 6,079 reports of death from the week before.

Soon after the study, yet, they reverted the number to the half-dozen,079 from the week before, indicating past default that no deaths from the vaccine had occurred that week, raising serious questions about transparency and vaccine condom.

Many other adverse events are also appearing, ranging in risks from the biologically active SARS-CoV-2 spike poly peptide used in the vaccine to claret clots, reproductive toxicity and myocarditis ( middle inflammation ). Equally you lot can see in the confidential indemnification agreements, however, even if the vaccine turns out to exist a dismal failure — and a risk to short- and long-term health — countries accept 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, every bit safe and effective as the manufacturers claim, why practice they crave 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's Health Defence force.