Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has initiated legal action against Pfizer, claiming the pharmaceutical giant made deceptive statements about the effectiveness of its COVID-19 vaccine and pushed for online censorship of criticism. Paxton’s suit, filed on Thursday, accuses Pfizer of engaging in misleading marketing practices under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The suit contends that Pfizer exaggerated the ability of its vaccine to put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic and asserts that the company’s claims of 95 percent effectiveness were not entirely straightforward.
We obtained a copy of the petition for you here.
Paxton’s lawsuit takes issue with the way Pfizer presented the results of its vaccine’s efficacy. More than 366 million doses of this vaccine were used in the US and efficacy analysis showed a 95 percent “effectiveness” rate 28 days following the initial dose. However, Paxton argues these results were attained through methods that were more technical and less genuine.
Asserting the rights of Texans, Paxton’s statement emphasized seeking justice for those who felt compelled to use what he described as a “defective product,” which was marketed through falsehoods. Paxton sharply criticized the Biden Administration for exploiting the pandemic to impose what he considers illegal health mandates, enriching pharmaceutical companies in the process. He pledged to utilize every available tool to defend citizens who were misled and adversely affected by Pfizer’s conduct.
The lawsuit enumerates five alleged infractions of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. It also accuses Pfizer of attempting to suppress dissenting voices on social media, specifically targeting former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, a Pfizer board member. The suit alleges Gottlieb was involved in flagging social media posts and accounts that challenged the Pfizer vaccine’s effectiveness, knowing these actions would have negative repercussions on those accounts.
Paxton is demanding that Pfizer be prohibited from making any further claims about its vaccine’s efficacy and from collaborating with social media platforms to stifle open discussion about the vaccine. He is also seeking $10,000 in civil penalties for each violation and additional restitution.
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