CoronaVirus/Pfizer

© Shutterstock, screenshot/Pfizer/KJN

Vaccine makers accept nothing to lose by marketing their experimental COVID-19 shots, fifty-fifty if they crusade serious injury and decease, as they enjoy full indemnity against injuries occurring from COVID-xix vaccines or whatsoever other pandemic vaccine under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act, passed in the U.Due south. in 2005.

The total extent of their COVID-19 vaccine indemnification agreements with countries, however, is a closely guarded secret, i that has remained highly confidential — until now. A leaked certificate broken down by Twitter user Ehden reveals the shocking terms of Pfizer's international COVID-nineteen vaccine agreements. He wrote:

"These agreements are confidential, only luckily one country did not protect the contract document well plenty, so I managed to get a hold of a re-create. As you are most to run into, in that location is a good reason why Pfizer was fighting to hide the details of these contracts."

An ironclad agreement, all on Pfizer'south terms

The declared 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, even so.

The Republic of albania agreement appears very similar to another contract, published online, betwixt Pfizer and the Dominican Commonwealth. Information technology covers not only COVID-19 vaccines, just whatever production that enhances the use or effects of such vaccines. Countries that buy Pfizer'southward COVID-19 shot must acknowledge that "Pfizer's efforts to develop and manufacture the Product" are "subject to pregnant risks and uncertainties."

And in the outcome that a drug or other treatment comes out that can forbid, care for or cure COVID-nineteen, the agreement stands, and the country must follow through with their club. Ivermectin , for instance, is non only safety, inexpensive and widely available but 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 yous were wondering why #Ivermectin was suppressed, well, information technology is because the agreement that countries had with Pfizer does not allow them to escape their contract, which states that fifty-fifty if a drug will be found to treat COVID19 the contract cannot be voided."

Even if Pfizer fails to deliver vaccine doses within their estimated commitment period, the purchaser may not cancel the order. Further, Pfizer tin 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 late, even at a bespeak when they're no longer needed, equally it's made clear that

"Under no circumstances will Pfizer be subject field to or liable for any late delivery penalties." As you might suspect, the contract as well "forbids returns nether whatsoever circumstances."

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

While COVID-19 vaccines are "free" to receive in the U.S., they're being paid for by taxpayer dollars at a charge per unit of $19.5011 per dose. Republic of albania, the leaked contract revealed, paid $12 per dose, while the EU paid $xiv.lxx per shot. While charging different prices to different purchases is common in the drug manufacture, it'south often frowned upon.

In the instance of the price disparity betwixt the U.South. and the European union, Pfizer is said to have given a price break to the Eu because it financially supported the development of their COVID-19 vaccine. Still, Ehden noted, "U.S. taxpayers got screwed by Pfizer, probably likewise State of israel." Also, Pfizer makes a bespeak to note that countries have no right to withhold payment to the company for any reason.

Apparently, this includes in the example of receiving damaged goods. Purchasers of Pfizer's COVID-xix vaccines are non entitled to pass up them "based on service complaints," unless they do non arrange to specifications or the FDA's Current Practiced Manufacturing Exercise regulations. And, Ehden adds, "This agreement is above any local law of the state."

While the purchaser has virtually no way of canceling the contract, Pfizer can terminate the understanding in the event of a "cloth breach" of any term in their contract.

Prophylactic and efficacy 'non currently known'

The purchaser of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine must also acknowledge two facts that have largely been brushed under the carpet: Both their efficacy and risks are unknown. According to section 5.v 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 volition proceed to be studied after provision of the Vaccine to Purchaser nether this Agreement.

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

Indemnification by the purchaser is as well explicitly required by the contract, which states, under 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 whatever of their respective Affiliates may directly or indirectly owe an indemnity based on the inquiry ...
"from and confronting 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 besides keep the terms of the contract confidential for a period of 10 years.

Not simply does Pfizer have total indemnification, but there'due south also a section in the contract titled, "Assumption of Defence by Purchaser," which states that in the event Pfizer suffers losses for which information technology is seeking indemnification, the purchaser

"shall promptly assume conduct and command of the defense force of such Indemnified Claims on behalf of the Indemnitee with counsel acceptable to Indemnitee(south), whether or not the Indemnified Merits is rightfully brought."

Ehden notes:

"Pfizer is making sure the land will 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.Southward. authorities — in a document titled, "Declaration Under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Human action for Medical Countermeasures Confronting COVID-19," is language that establishes a new COVID-19 vaccine court — similar to the federal vaccine court that already exists.

In the U.South., vaccine makers already savour full indemnity against injuries occurring from this or any other pandemic vaccine under the PREP Act. If yous're injured past a COVID vaccine (or a select group of other vaccines designated under the act), y'all'd have to file a compensation claim with the Countermeasures Injury Bounty Program (CICP), which is funded past U.South. taxpayers via Congressional appropriation to the Section of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

While similar to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP), which applies to nonpandemic vaccines, the CICP is even less generous when information technology comes to compensation. Every bit reported past Dr. Meryl Nass, the maximum payout y'all can receive — fifty-fifty in cases of permanent inability or death — is $250,000 per person; however, you'd have to exhaust your individual insurance policy before the CICP gives you a dime.

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

Pfizer accused of abuse of power

Every bit is credible in Pfizer's confidential contract with Albania, the drug giant wants governments to guarantee the company will be compensated for any expenses resulting from injury lawsuits confronting it. Pfizer has besides demanded that countries put up sovereign avails , including depository financial institution reserves, war machine bases and embassy buildings, as collateral for expected vaccine injury lawsuits resulting from its COVID-xix inoculation.

New Delhi-based Earth 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 apply its domestic laws to the visitor.
  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 corruption of ability. Mark Eccleston-Turner, a lecturer in global health law at Keele Academy in England, told STAT:

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

Signs of COVID vaccine failure, adverse furnishings rise

Pfizer continues to sign lucrative secret vaccine deals across the earth. In June 2021, they signed one of their biggest contracts to appointment — with the Philippine regime for 40 meg doses .

Meanwhile, COVID-19 "breakthrough cases," which used to be called vaccine failures, are on the rise. According to the U.Southward. Centers for Illness Control and Prevention (CDC), as of July nineteen, five,914 people who had been fully vaccinated for COVID-nineteen were hospitalized or died from COVID-19.

In the U.Yard., every bit of July 15, 87.5% of the developed population had received ane dose of COVID-xix vaccine and 67.1% had received two. Notwithstanding, symptomatic cases among partially and fully vaccinated are on the ascent , with an average of 15,537 new infections a day being detected, a 40% 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 decease among people who received a COVID-19 vaccine — more doubling from the 6,079 reports of expiry from the week before.

Soon after the report, all the same, they reverted the number to the 6,079 from the week earlier, indicating past default that no deaths from the vaccine had occurred that week, raising serious questions almost transparency and vaccine safety.

Many other agin events are also actualization, ranging in risks from the biologically agile SARS-CoV-ii spike protein used in the vaccine to blood clots, reproductive toxicity and myocarditis ( heart inflammation ). As y'all tin can come across in the confidential indemnification agreements, nevertheless, fifty-fifty if the vaccine turns out to be a dismal failure — and a risk to short- and long-term health — countries take no recourse, nor does anyone who received the experimental shots.

I question that nosotros 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 article are those of the authors and practice not necessarily reflect the views of Children'due south Health Defense.