CoronaVirus/Pfizer

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Vaccine makers have nix to lose by marketing their experimental COVID-19 shots, even if they crusade serious injury and decease, as they enjoy total indemnity against injuries occurring from COVID-19 vaccines or any other pandemic vaccine nether the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Deed, passed in the U.Southward. in 2005.

The full extent of their COVID-xix vaccine indemnification agreements with countries, withal, is a closely guarded secret, ane that has remained highly confidential — until at present. A leaked document cleaved 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 then I managed to get a hold of a copy. As you are nigh to see, there is a good reason why Pfizer was fighting to hide 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, only Twitter at present has them marked every bit "unavailable." Copies of the tweets are available on Treadreader, still.

The Albania agreement appears very similar to another contract, published online, between Pfizer and the Dominican Republic. Information technology covers non simply COVID-19 vaccines, merely any production that enhances the utilise or furnishings of such vaccines. Countries that buy Pfizer'due south COVID-19 shot must admit that "Pfizer'due south efforts to develop and industry the Production" are "field of study to pregnant risks and uncertainties."

And in the event that a drug or other treatment comes out that can prevent, treat or cure COVID-xix, the agreement stands, and the land must follow through with their order. Ivermectin , for instance, is not only safe, inexpensive and widely bachelor just has been establish to reduce COVID-19 mort ality by 81% . Yet, it 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 non allow them to escape their contract, which states that even if a drug volition exist found to treat COVID19 the contract cannot be voided."

Even if Pfizer fails to deliver vaccine doses within their estimated delivery period, the purchaser may non cancel the club. Further, Pfizer tin make adjustments to the number of contracted doses and their delivery schedule, "based on principles to be determined past Pfizer," and the state buying the vaccines must "concord to any revision."

It doesn't thing if the vaccines are delivered severely late, even at a point when they're no longer needed, equally it'due south made clear that

"Under no circumstances will Pfizer exist discipline to or liable for any tardily delivery penalties." Every bit yous might suspect, the contract also "forbids returns nether whatever circumstances."

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

While COVID-19 vaccines are "free" to receive in the U.S., 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.lxx per shot. While charging different prices to different purchases is common in the drug industry, information technology'southward often frowned upon.

In the case of the toll disparity betwixt the U.Southward. and the European union, Pfizer is said to have given a toll interruption 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 also Israel." As well, Pfizer makes a point to notation that countries have no right to withhold payment to the visitor for any reason.

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

While the purchaser has virtually no way of canceling the contract, Pfizer tin can terminate the agreement in the result of a "material alienation" of any term in their contract.

Prophylactic and efficacy 'non currently known'

The purchaser of Pfizer'south 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 5.5 of the contract:

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

"Purchaser further acknowledges that the long-term effects and efficacy of the Vaccine are not currently known and that in that location may exist adverse effects of the Vaccine that are non currently known."

Indemnification past the purchaser is also explicitly required past the contract, which states, under section 8.i:

"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, tertiary 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 confronting whatsoever 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 keep the terms of the contract confidential for a period of 10 years.

Non but does Pfizer accept total indemnification, merely at that place'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 assume conduct and command of the defence force of such Indemnified Claims on behalf of the Indemnitee with counsel acceptable to Indemnitee(due south), whether or not the Indemnified Merits is rightfully brought."

Ehden notes:

"Pfizer is making sure the state 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 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 courtroom — similar to the federal vaccine court that already exists.

In the U.Southward., vaccine makers already savor full indemnity against injuries occurring from this or whatsoever other pandemic vaccine under the PREP Act. If you're injured by a COVID vaccine (or a select group of other vaccines designated under the human action), you'd have to file a compensation claim with the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP), which is funded by U.S. taxpayers via Congressional cribbing to the Section of Health and Man Services (DHHS).

While similar to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (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 inability or death — is $250,000 per person; however, you'd accept to exhaust your private insurance policy earlier the CICP gives you a dime.

The CICP too has a i-year statute of limitations, then you take to act quickly, which is also difficult since it's unknown if long-term furnishings could occur more than a twelvemonth afterwards.

Pfizer accused of abuse of ability

As is apparent in Pfizer's confidential contract with Republic of albania, the drug behemothic wants governments to guarantee the company will be compensated for any expenses resulting from injury lawsuits confronting it. Pfizer has also demanded that countries put up sovereign assets , including depository financial institution reserves, military bases and diplomatic mission buildings, as collateral for expected vaccine injury lawsuits resulting from its COVID-19 inoculation.

New Delhi-based Globe Is 1 News (WION) reported in Feb 2022 that Brazil rejected Pfizer'southward 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. Marker Eccleston-Turner, a lecturer in global health law at Keele University in England, told STAT:

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

Signs of COVID vaccine failure, agin effects rise

Pfizer continues to sign lucrative secret vaccine deals beyond the globe. In June 2021, they signed i of their biggest contracts to date — with the Philippine government for twoscore 1000000 doses .

Meanwhile, COVID-19 "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 15, 87.5% of the developed population had received ane dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 67.ane% had received two. Withal, symptomatic cases among partially and fully vaccinated are on the ascent , with an average of fifteen,537 new infections a day being detected, a twoscore% increase from the week earlier.

In a July 19 written report from the CDC, the agency also reported that the Vaccine Adverse Issue Reporting System (VAERS) had received 12,313 reports of death amidst people who received a COVID-19 vaccine — more than than doubling from the 6,079 reports of decease from the calendar week before.

Presently after the report, nevertheless, 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 about transparency and vaccine safety.

Many other agin events are as well appearing, ranging in risks from the biologically agile SARS-CoV-2 fasten protein used in the vaccine to blood clots, reproductive toxicity and myocarditis ( heart inflammation ). As you lot can see in the confidential indemnification agreements, nonetheless, even if the vaccine turns out to be a dismal failure — and a risk to short- and long-term health — countries accept no recourse, nor does anyone who received the experimental shots.

1 question that we should all be asking is this: If the COVID-19 vaccines are, in fact, as safe 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 Defense.