CoronaVirus/Pfizer

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Vaccine makers have zippo to lose by marketing their experimental COVID-19 shots, fifty-fifty if they cause serious injury and death, equally they enjoy full indemnity confronting injuries occurring from COVID-xix 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, however, is a closely guarded secret, one that has remained highly confidential — until now. A leaked document broken downward by Twitter user Ehden reveals the shocking terms of Pfizer's international COVID-xix vaccine agreements. He wrote:

"These agreements are confidential, but luckily one land did non protect the contract document well plenty, so I managed to become a hold of a copy. As you lot are well-nigh to encounter, there is a good reason why Pfizer was fighting to hide the details of these contracts."

An ironclad agreement, all on Pfizer's terms

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

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

And in the issue that a drug or other handling comes out that can prevent, treat or cure COVID-nineteen, the understanding stands, and the country must follow through with their order. Ivermectin , for instance, is not but safe, inexpensive and widely bachelor only has been found to reduce COVID-19 mort ality by 81% . Yet, information technology continues to be ignored in favor of more expensive, and less effective, treatments and mass experimental vaccination. Ehden wrote:

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

Even if Pfizer fails to evangelize vaccine doses within their estimated delivery menses, the purchaser may not cancel the club. Further, Pfizer tin 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 any revision."

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

"Under no circumstances volition Pfizer be subject to or liable for any belatedly commitment penalties." As you might suspect, the contract likewise "forbids returns under whatsoever circumstances."

The big hole-and-corner: Pfizer charged U.South. More 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 charge per unit of $nineteen.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 unlike purchases is common in the drug industry, it's oftentimes frowned upon.

In the example of the price disparity between the U.S. and the European union, Pfizer is said to have given a price suspension to the EU because it financially supported the development of their COVID-nineteen vaccine. Still, Ehden noted, "U.S. taxpayers got screwed by Pfizer, probably besides Israel." Too, Pfizer makes a point to note that countries have no right to withhold payment to the company for whatever reason.

Apparently, this includes in the example of receiving damaged goods. Purchasers of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines are not entitled to reject them "based on service complaints," unless they do not adjust to specifications or the FDA's Electric current Practiced Manufacturing Practice regulations. And, Ehden adds, "This understanding is above whatsoever local police of the state."

While the purchaser has virtually no way of canceling the contract, Pfizer can end the agreement in the consequence of a "material breach" of whatsoever term in their contract.

Rubber and efficacy 'not currently known'

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

"Purchaser acknowledges that the Vaccine and materials related to the Vaccine, and their components and elective materials are being speedily developed due to the emergency circumstances of the COVID-nineteen pandemic and will go along to be studied afterwards 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 exist adverse effects of the Vaccine that are not currently known."

Indemnification by the purchaser is also explicitly required by the contract, which states, nether section 8.1:

"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 corresponding Affiliates may straight or indirectly owe an indemnity based on the research ...
"from and against any and all suits, claims, actions, demands, losses, amercement, 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 go on the terms of the contract confidential for a period of x years.

Not but does Pfizer accept total indemnification, simply there's besides a section in the contract titled, "Assumption of Defence by Purchaser," which states that in the event Pfizer suffers losses for which it is seeking indemnification, the purchaser

"shall promptly assume conduct and control of the defence of such Indemnified Claims on behalf of the Indemnitee with counsel acceptable to Indemnitee(southward), 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(s) in connectedness with any Indemnified Merits shall be reimbursed on a quarterly basis by Purchaser.'"

Cached in the March 17, 2020, Federal Register — the daily journal of the U.S. government — in a document titled, "Declaration Under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act for Medical Countermeasures Against COVID-19," 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 enjoy full indemnity confronting injuries occurring from this or whatsoever other pandemic vaccine nether the PREP Act. If you're injured past a COVID vaccine (or a select group of other vaccines designated under the deed), you'd have to file a bounty merits with the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP), which is funded by U.S. taxpayers via Congressional appropriation to the Department of Wellness and Homo Services (DHHS).

While like to the National Vaccine Injury Bounty Program (NVICP), which applies to nonpandemic vaccines, the CICP is fifty-fifty less generous when it comes to compensation. Every bit reported by Dr. Meryl Nass, the maximum payout you can receive — fifty-fifty in cases of permanent disability or death — is $250,000 per person; still, yous'd have 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 accept 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

Every bit is apparent in Pfizer'due south confidential contract with Republic of albania, the drug giant wants governments to guarantee the visitor will be compensated for whatever expenses resulting from injury lawsuits against information technology. Pfizer has too demanded that countries put up sovereign assets , including bank reserves, military bases and embassy buildings, equally 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 "calumniating." The demands included that Brazil:

  1. "Waives sovereignty of its avails abroad in favor of Pfizer."
  2. Not apply 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 also referred to concerns by legal experts, who also suggested Pfizer'southward demands were an abuse of power. 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 gamble at every juncture with this vaccine development then this vaccine rollout. At present, the vaccine development has been heavily subsidized already. So at that place's very minimal risk for the manufacturer involved at that place."

Signs of COVID vaccine failure, adverse effects rise

Pfizer continues to sign lucrative hush-hush vaccine deals across the earth. In June 2021, they signed one of their biggest contracts to date — with the Philippine regime for twoscore meg doses .

Meanwhile, COVID-19 "breakthrough cases," which used to be called 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., as of July 15, 87.5% of the adult population had received one dose of COVID-nineteen vaccine and 67.i% had received two. Nevertheless, symptomatic cases among partially and fully vaccinated are on the rise , with an average of 15,537 new infections a twenty-four hours being detected, a 40% increase from the calendar week earlier.

In a July 19 report from the CDC, the agency also reported that the Vaccine Adverse 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 report, however, they reverted the number to the 6,079 from the week earlier, indicating by default that no deaths from the vaccine had occurred that week, raising serious questions about transparency and vaccine safety.

Many other adverse events are also appearing, ranging in risks from the biologically agile SARS-CoV-2 spike protein used in the vaccine to blood clots, reproductive toxicity and myocarditis ( eye inflammation ). As you tin see in the confidential indemnification agreements, however, even if the vaccine turns out to be a dismal failure — and a risk to brusk- and long-term health — countries accept no recourse, nor does anyone who received the experimental shots.

1 question that we should all be request is this: If the COVID-xix vaccines are, in fact, as safe and effective equally the manufacturers claim, why practise they require this level of indemnification?

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do non necessarily reflect the views of Children'southward Health Defense.