In a recent development, Pfizer, the New York-based pharmaceutical behemoth, is facing a lawsuit from the Attorney General of Kansas, Kris Kobach.
According to the Daily Mail, the lawsuit alleges that Pfizer engaged in 'deceptive and misleading marketing' regarding its COVID-19 vaccine.
The legal action, initiated on Monday, accuses Pfizer of minimizing the potential risks associated with the vaccine and making unfounded assertions about its efficacy. Kobach contends that Pfizer's purportedly false declarations about the vaccine contravene the Kansas Consumer Protection Act. The amount of compensation sought by the state remains undisclosed.
"Pfizer made multiple misleading statements to deceive the public about its vaccine at a time when Americans needed the truth," Kobach stated, underscoring the gravity of the allegations.
The lawsuit, lodged in the District Court of Thomas County, suggests that Pfizer began concealing evidence as early as 2021, shortly after the vaccine's introduction. The pharmaceutical company is alleged to have suppressed evidence demonstrating a connection between the vaccine and pregnancy-related complications, including miscarriage and myocarditis and pericarditis, conditions causing inflammation around the heart.
In response to the lawsuit, Pfizer issued a statement denying the allegations, asserting that their claims about the Covid-19 vaccine were "accurate and science-based."
In 2021, myocarditis and pericarditis were recognized as rare side effects of the vaccine, predominantly affecting adolescent males. A 2023 review of 21 studies conducted by the U.S. National Institutes of Health found no correlation between the Covid vaccine and miscarriage.
The lawsuit further alleges that Pfizer falsely claimed their vaccine was highly effective against additional variants and that it would prevent both illness and transmission. Kansas is not alone in its legal battle against Pfizer. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton initiated a similar lawsuit against the pharmaceutical company last year, which Pfizer also asserts lacks merit.
Kobach anticipates that other states will follow Kansas's lead and initiate legal action against Pfizer in the near future. The Pfizer vaccine, developed in partnership with German company BioNTech for the original strain of the virus, was a crucial tool during the height of the pandemic. BioNTech is not implicated in the lawsuit.
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