Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a significant lawsuit against Pfizer on Nov. 30. The suit, filed in Lubbock County, Texas, accuses Pfizer of misrepresenting the efficacy of its COVID-19 vaccine.
Paxton’s statement was firm: “We are pursuing justice for the people of Texas, many of whom were coerced by tyrannical vaccine mandates to take a defective product sold by lies,” he said. “The facts are clear. Pfizer did not tell the truth about their COVID-19 vaccines.”
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Details of the Lawsuit Against Pfizer
The lawsuit centers around Pfizer’s portrayal of the effectiveness of their vaccine. It claims that Pfizer gave a misleading picture by focusing on relative risk reduction figures from their clinical trials, which indicated a 95% effectiveness against COVID-19 infection.
However, the suit argues that the absolute risk reduction – a different measure of efficacy – showed the vaccine was only 0.85% effective.
The FDA has recommended that drug manufacturers present absolute and relative risks.
Pfizer’s Response and Public Communication
As of press time, Pfizer had not responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
The suit further accuses Pfizer of misleading the public by omitting certain COVID-19 cases from their efficacy calculation and making unverified claims about the vaccine’s ability to prevent transmission.
These allegations revolve around Pfizer’s promotional tactics and CEO Dr. Albert Bourla’s public statements, which the suit claims gave a false impression of the vaccine’s effectiveness.
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Legal Framework and Claims of Deceptive Practices
The lawsuit references federal laws like the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which prohibits misleading labeling and advertising of FDA-regulated products.
The Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act is also invoked, with the suit accusing Pfizer of failing to explain the difference between absolute and relative risk reduction adequately.
Broader Implications and FDA’s Stance
The lawsuit forms part of a broader investigation announced by Paxton in May, scrutinizing whether Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson misled the public about their COVID-19 vaccines. The FDA and the U.S. Department of Justice did not comment on the lawsuit.
Censorship Allegations and Calls for Justice
Paxton’s lawsuit also touches on accusations of Pfizer’s attempts to censor critics, citing instances involving journalist Alex Berenson and Pfizer board member Dr. Scott Gottlieb.
The suit culminates in a call for the court to prevent Pfizer from violating Texas’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act, seeking over $10 million in fines and declaring that any penalties against Pfizer should not be absolved in bankruptcy.
This legal action by Texas against Pfizer highlights ongoing debates about the communication and representation of COVID-19 vaccine efficacy, raising important questions about transparency and public trust in pharmaceutical companies and their products.
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