CoronaVirus/Pfizer

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Vaccine makers have nothing to lose by marketing their experimental COVID-19 shots, even if they cause serious injury and expiry, equally they savour total indemnity against injuries occurring from COVID-nineteen vaccines or whatever other pandemic vaccine under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Human action, passed in the U.S. in 2005.

The full extent of their COVID-19 vaccine indemnification agreements with countries, yet, is a closely guarded hole-and-corner, one that has remained highly confidential — until now. A leaked document broken down by Twitter user Ehden reveals the shocking terms of Pfizer'southward international COVID-xix vaccine agreements. He wrote:

"These agreements are confidential, but luckily one land did not protect the contract document well plenty, then I managed to get a hold of a copy. Every bit y'all are about to come across, in that location is a good reason why Pfizer was fighting to hide the details of these contracts."

An ironclad agreement, all on Pfizer'due south terms

The declared indemnification agreement, reportedly betwixt Pfizer and Albania, was originally posted in snippets on Twitter, but Twitter now has them marked as "unavailable." Copies of the tweets are bachelor on Treadreader, notwithstanding.

The Albania understanding appears very similar to another contract, published online, between Pfizer and the Dominican Republic. Information technology covers not simply COVID-xix vaccines, only any production that enhances the use or furnishings of such vaccines. Countries that purchase Pfizer's COVID-19 shot must admit that "Pfizer'south efforts to develop and manufacture the Product" are "subject to meaning risks and uncertainties."

And in the event that a drug or other handling comes out that tin can prevent, treat or cure COVID-19, the agreement stands, and the country must follow through with their gild. Ivermectin , for case, is not only safe, inexpensive and widely available but has been found to reduce COVID-nineteen mort ality past 81% . Withal, it continues to be ignored in favor of more expensive, and less effective, treatments and mass experimental vaccination. Ehden wrote:

"If you lot 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 will be 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 not cancel the order. Further, Pfizer can make adjustments to the number of contracted doses and their delivery schedule, "based on principles to exist determined by Pfizer," and the state buying the vaccines must "agree to any revision."

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

"Under no circumstances will Pfizer exist field of study to or liable for any late delivery penalties." As you might suspect, the contract too "forbids returns under any circumstances."

The big secret: Pfizer charged U.S. More 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 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 different purchases is common in the drug manufacture, it's often frowned upon.

In the example of the price disparity between the U.Southward. and the Eu, Pfizer is said to accept given a cost break to the Eu because it financially supported the development of their COVID-19 vaccine. Notwithstanding, Ehden noted, "U.S. taxpayers got screwed by Pfizer, probably also Israel." Too, Pfizer makes a indicate to annotation that countries have no right to withhold payment to the company for whatever reason.

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

While the purchaser has nigh no way of canceling the contract, Pfizer tin can terminate the agreement in the effect of a "cloth breach" of whatsoever term in their contract.

Prophylactic and efficacy 'non currently known'

The purchaser of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine must as well acknowledge two facts that have largely been brushed under the rug: Both their efficacy and risks are unknown. According to section 5.five 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-19 pandemic and will go along to be studied afterward provision of the Vaccine to Purchaser under this Agreement.

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

Indemnification by the purchaser is also explicitly required by the contract, which states, nether department 8.one:

"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 go on the terms of the contract confidential for a period of 10 years.

Not just does Pfizer accept total indemnification, just in that location'southward also 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 defense force of such Indemnified Claims on behalf of the Indemnitee with counsel adequate to Indemnitee(southward), whether or not the Indemnified Claim is rightfully brought."

Ehden notes:

"Pfizer is making sure the country volition pay for everything: 'Costs and expenses, including ... fees and disbursements of counsel, incurred by the Indemnitee(s) in connection with whatsoever Indemnified Claim shall be reimbursed on a quarterly basis past Purchaser.'"

Buried in the March 17, 2020, Federal Register — the daily journal of the U.S. regime — in a document titled, "Declaration Under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act for Medical Countermeasures Confronting COVID-19," is language that establishes a new COVID-19 vaccine court — like 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 activity. If you're injured by a COVID vaccine (or a select group of other vaccines designated under the act), you'd have to file a compensation claim with the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP), which is funded past U.S. taxpayers via Congressional appropriation to the Department of Health and Man 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. As reported past Dr. Meryl Nass, the maximum payout yous can receive — even in cases of permanent disability or death — is $250,000 per person; nevertheless, yous'd have to exhaust your private insurance policy earlier the CICP gives you lot a dime.

The CICP also has a one-yr statute of limitations, so yous have to act speedily, which is likewise difficult since information technology'due south unknown if long-term furnishings could occur more than a yr later.

Pfizer accused of abuse of power

As is apparent in Pfizer's confidential contract with Republic of albania, the drug giant wants governments to guarantee the company will be compensated for any expenses resulting from injury lawsuits against information technology. Pfizer has also demanded that countries put upward sovereign assets , including bank reserves, war machine bases and embassy buildings, every bit 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 "abusive." The demands included that Brazil:

  1. "Waives sovereignty of its avails away in favor of Pfizer."
  2. Non utilise its domestic laws to the visitor.
  3. Non 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'due south demands were an abuse of power. Mark Eccleston-Turner, a lecturer in global wellness constabulary at Keele Academy in England, told STAT:

"[Pfizer] is trying to eke out equally much turn a 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. And then there's very minimal take a chance for the manufacturer involved there."

Signs of COVID vaccine failure, agin effects rise

Pfizer continues to sign lucrative underground vaccine deals beyond the globe. In June 2021, they signed one of their biggest contracts to date — with the Philippine authorities for forty one thousand thousand doses .

Meanwhile, COVID-nineteen "quantum cases," which used to exist called vaccine failures, are on the rising. Co-ordinate to the U.S. Centers for Illness Control and Prevention (CDC), equally of July 19, v,914 people who had been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 were hospitalized or died from COVID-xix.

In the U.K., equally of July fifteen, 87.5% of the adult population had received 1 dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 67.1% had received 2. Yet, symptomatic cases among partially and fully vaccinated are on the ascent , with an boilerplate of 15,537 new infections a solar day being detected, a 40% increase from the week before.

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

Shortly later on the report, however, 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 virtually transparency and vaccine safety.

Many other agin events are as well appearing, ranging in risks from the biologically active SARS-CoV-2 spike protein used in the vaccine to blood clots, reproductive toxicity and myocarditis ( heart inflammation ). As you lot can meet in the confidential indemnification agreements, however, fifty-fifty if the vaccine turns out to exist a dismal failure — and a risk to brusque- and long-term health — countries have no recourse, nor does anyone who received the experimental shots.

Ane question that we should all be request is this: If the COVID-nineteen vaccines are, in fact, equally safe and effective every bit the manufacturers claim, why exercise 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 Defence.